10 November 2020

Crazy Sock Day at St James the Apostle School, Hoppers Crossing North, was a great success. The day of fun came at the end of a six-week effort to learn about and raise funds for the work of Catholic Mission in Cambodia.

Year 4 teacher Monica Brehaut led the planning, while Religious Education leader Michael Polh has been passionately driving engagement in mission and helping to explore how every learner and teacher at St James has a mission in their own lives.

But the true heroes are the Year 4s. ‘Our learners in Year 4 alone have raised nearly $2,500 over the last six weeks, and just today we’ve invited everyone to come to school with crazy socks for a gold coin donation and we’ve now raised over $3,000’, said Michael.

Year 4 student Jayjay said, ‘Socktober is teaching us to help people in need’. Classmate Alissa added, ‘Today we’re celebrating what we raised. There are not a lot of people that have what we have’.

Maddison, Year 4, said: ‘Many people are not as privileged as us and they need help, and they don’t have much money and so they live in poverty, and there are some missions out there, for example the Socktober site, they practically help and raise money for them. I’ve learnt that there are ways to help in the world out there, that even a dollar can help.’

Principal Mary Abbott expressed her pride: ‘I want to recognise the leadership of Michael and Monica in guiding the Year 4s over the last six weeks, planning and leading the learning through remote learning and organising today’s Crazy Sock Day. I’m really proud of what our Year 4s have done, how much they’ve managed to raise, and what they’ve learnt about their call to mission. Today is a celebration of everything that they have achieved in their learning, their advocacy and their fundraising. Crazy Sock Day is a celebration of our commitment to mission here at St James.’