Community
20 September, 2024
An inspiring visit for St Pats
STUDENTS at St Patrick’s Primary School (St Pat’s) were thrilled to receive a special visitor to their school last Friday, with Olympic bronze medalist Penny Smith visiting to speak with students about her Olympic experience and answer their burning questions.
Prior to the visit, students spent the week learning about the Olympics, Ms Smith, and the sport of shooting through clips of the Olympics.
The Year 2M students received an extra special visit, with the Olympian visiting their classroom for an hour before her presentation at a school-wide assembly.
The students got to touch Ms Smith’s bronze medal and handed her handmade cards.
Year 2M teacher Paula McKenzie said the school was “very privileged and lucky” to receive a visit from Ms Smith.
“We made her little cards, and we learned all about Penny for the week, which the children absolutely loved,” she said.
“To have a role model in somebody like Penny, who is down to earth, who is humble, who showed all the right traits to the children – answering all the questions beautifully – it was special. She is a lovely human.
“Everyone had lessons – all the staff got together, and we created lessons about Penny and we had little clips and everything.
“They were really excited to see her.
“It wasn’t just another person coming in, or somebody a little bit special, it was someone they couldn’t wait to see – they were silly excited to see this superstar.”
The school-wide assembly saw Ms Smith share her journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics, as well as answering questions prepared by the students over the week.
Displays were also set up in classrooms, with a series of Olympic-themed flags hung up in the school stadium.
Ms McKenzie expressed her gratitude to Catholic Education’s Paul Brown, who organised the visit for the school.
“Paul Brown set it all up for us, and when we found out Penny was coming, there was a real buzz and a real hype,” she said.
“It’s quite amazing that we’ve got a medalist, an Olympian, visiting us and teaching us resilience, how to get through challenges, and how to strive to be the best person.
“That was her message – just be the best you can be, at whatever you choose to do.
“What a beautiful message to give to youngsters.
“We are very humbled, and so lucky that we’ve got an Olympian in Camperdown who has been brought up in this community who’s done so well for herself.
“How lucky are we to get to experience that and learn from her knowledge and her life skills.”
Ms Smith said she enjoyed the opportunity to visit St Pat’s.
“I love to share my story with the kids,” she said.
“They all get so excited about everything, and it’s just wonderful I can share it with the community and the kids.
“I’ve got Camperdown College on Friday (today), so I’m really looking forward to getting there and sharing my story with the younger kids as well.
“Hopefully I can inspire one of them.”
Ms McKenzie said Ms Smith’s visit was a “special thing” for the school.
“I would like to thank Penny for coming and imparting her wisdom to us all, and I wish her very good luck for the rest of her career and future,” she said