Scholarship willhelp Lavinia share her vision

By CASEY BAYLISS
June 29, 2012, 4:41 a.m.

CLOSING THE GAP: Darlene Murdock (left) and Jenny Allen (right) present Lavinia Rossiter (centre) with the honour of Governor General Indigenous Teaching Scholarship. 062512rossiter WHEN 25-year-old primary education student Lavinia Rossiter walked into Assumption School for an interview, her self-confidence was minimal. Walking out before the interview began she was chased down and brought before principal Peter Nugent. After seven years teaching in the community, Mrs Rossiter has set her mark, winning a $25,000 Governor General Indigenous Teaching Scholarship. Set up by the federal institute to encourage indigenous students to complete their teaching degrees, Mrs Rossiter is looking to close the culture gap. Jenny Allen, Director of the Catholic Education Office said it was Mrs Rossiters commitment and drive to achieve her goals and dreams that won her the state award.

She has such a clear vision of what she wants to do, Ms Allen said. What this means for Indigenous people in our area and all over...it is huge, Darlene Murdock, Indigenous Education Officer, said. Mrs Rossiter said communities need to work together to close the gap. Teaching is a partnership which includes the whole community,she said. We have such a rich culture and identity but it has taken me over five years of secondary schooling and only now am I realizing who I am. My mission is to be a role model. I want to give the kids the knowledge of our culture and work on the positives, Mrs Rossiter said. Hailing from Goodooga in north western NSW, Mrs Rossiter knows all too well about small town seclusion, teenage depression and being bullied. The move from a small community where one can feel closed off from reality, to the big smoke of Sydney was tough. Moving between schools she was afraid of becoming just another negative statistic. I could have been just another victim of the streets, she said. We have a lot of positives in our community. I want to prepare the next generation to be positive too. I want to break the cycle and show all the kids I teach that it just takes someone who cares.When I saw people care about me I knew I could change, she said. Mrs Rossiter bases her future plans on a motto; children dont care what you know, unless they know you care. She said she plans to use some of the money to set up her own tutoring service. A service for free which will help encourage Aboriginal students to graduate from high school. It was Lavinias sister Cassandra who was her encouragement, giving her a home and some stability through the high school years.