Delegate Public School – Lydia’s Poem

Delegate is a small country town in NSW not far from the Victorian border. With a population of only 350, the small school at the centre of this community makes good things happen.

Lydia is a Year 6 student at Delegate Public School, a proud and worthy School Captain, Lydia is a fine ambassador for her school, her family and herself.

Delegate Public School Principal, Brad Bannister describes Lydia as “a dream student with a fabulous work ethic, a love of learning, has a great sense of humor, and loves extra-curricular activities as well. Lydia is a fine athlete and one of our most academic students”

Lydia lives just over the border in VIC and competes all over NSW as an equestrian rider. During the recent bushfire crisis that severely impacted the Delegate community, Lydia’s travels were for less enjoyable reasons.

Whilst her parents remained home to defend their property from the fires, Lydia was evacuated six times.

Lydia recently sat with her mum and penned what she called ‘a bunch of words’. Brad Bannister, her school Principal feels these words much more than that and we agree. Brad shared “It is a poem of beauty, a poem of meaning and a poem that brings tears to my eyes every time I read it.”

Our Adventure

The sky turns black

My chest tightens

The smoke thickens

My heart pounds harder

I clutch my buddy’s hand

Tears roll down our cheeks

2 o’clock in the afternoon seems like midnight

Flames roar

Shouts echo

Heads pound harder

Hands clutching tighter

Heat pours into the house

Sweating, I hand out water

I pack our bags

We will wait

A call comes to go outside

We put on our masks

We step into coolness

Relief sinks in

All six kids are safe

Chests loosen

Smoke still thick

My heart pounds slower

The sky glows red

It’s 4 o’clock now

While you sit at home

Playing, reading, or even sleeping

Well we were on a very wild adventure.

When Lydia returned to school, Brad asked her whether she would like to talk to a counsellor, in typical Lydia style she said ‘No thanks Mr. B, let someone else who needs it more have the time’.

Good360 was able to help the school with Return to School Packs, and Lydia and the other School Captain, Charlie helped Brad sort them all and set them up for our kids to collect.

In response, Brad said; “I can say with certainty that with the help of Helen and Good360 our community feels much more supported by you and I than they ever have by all levels of government.

Thanks so much for everything you are doing for us. Lydia is the prime example of the impact you are having on our community. I know my email is long, but I couldn’t fit it all in an Impact Story. This story needs to be told.”

At Good360, we agree! Thank you, Lydia, for your incredible leadership, compassion and resilience, and thanks to Brad for being an incredible role model for your community and your students.