Compiled by Hayley Egan

On Thursday 11th September, students and staff of Lake Cargelligo TAFE came together to participate in a number of meaningful and fun activities to support R U OK? Day.
In the weeks prior to the day, the Lake Cargelligo TAFE staff and students were hard at work preparing for the event—creating signs and mini banners to display in their windows and spark conversations in the community.
One of the day’s highlights was judging the Colouring-In Competition, open to local children from Preschool to Year 6, as well as teachers. The TAFE students had the tough job of selecting winners from an amazing range of high-quality artwork!
Throughout the day, they had conversations about mental health—how it can affect anyone, and how they can all support each other by asking a simple but powerful question: R U OK? Sometimes just being there for someone, to talk or to listen, can make a world of difference.
The students also each completed a painting on canvas, before enjoying lunch and a chat with TAFE staff.
To wrap up the day, students and staff grabbed some paintbrushes and yellow paint and decorated a tree trunk on the TAFE grounds—leaving a bright and lasting mark for R U OK? Day.
It was a fun, reflective, and inspiring day—and a reminder to keep checking in, every day.
The winners of the R U OK Day Colouring-In Competition were announced the following day on the TAFE NSW – Lake Cargelligo Facebook page.
“Lake Cargelligo TAFE Staff and Students would like to send a HUGE congratulations to the winners of our Colouring-In Competition held for our R U OK Day.” read a post on their Facebook page.
The Preschool winners were Wilkie Small and Lola Imrie.
The winners from Kindergarten, Year 1 & 2 were Demi Johnson and Jake Ireland.
In Year 3-4 the winners were Adeline Rathmell and Madden Alchin.
The Year 5-6 winners were Paige Pawsey and Jaydn Harvey.
And the winners in the Teachers category were Natasha Munro and Aunty Sharon Thorpe.
“Well done to everyone who entered! Your entries were fantastic and our TAFE students had such a hard time picking the winners. You all did an amazing job. Thank you for getting involved and helping us bring some creativity and colour to such an important day.” the post concluded.
Source and Image Credits: TAFE NSW – Lake Cargelligo Facebook page.