• ‘Check it Out! Day’ was held at Charles Sturt University in Dubbo for Year 6 students from the Orana region for the eighth year 
• Primary school students get first-hand insights into university life

More than 100 Year 6 students from primary schools within the Dubbo and Orana region became honorary university graduates overnight when they attended Charles Sturt University’s ‘Check it Out! Day’ on Tuesday 22 March.

This is the eighth year the event has been hosted at the Charles Sturt University Dubbo campus, presented by Future Moves, giving senior primary school students hands-on insight into university life and all it entails.

Schools in attendance at Check it Out! Day this year included Dubbo West Public School, Yeoval Central School, Trangie Central School, Coonamble Public School and Peak Hill Central School.

Students participated in workshop sessions across a range of disciplines offered at the university, campus tours of residences, a ‘question and answer’ session with the Future Moves team and a mock graduation ceremony.

Future Moves Program Coordinator for the Central West region Mr Tom Griffiths said Check it Out! Day is a great opportunity for the next generation of leaders to get a taste of what university life offers.

“Check it Out! Day gives our young people a chance to walk in the shoes of a university student for a day,” he said.

“It gives them a glimpse of a course they may be considering, along with seeing first-hand what campus living could be like and experiencing that euphoric feeling of finally graduating at the end of it all.”

Students were able to attend workshop sessions in social work, nursing, theatre/arts, computer science/robotics and physical education teaching.

Mr Griffiths said the robotics and social work sessions were among the most popular, but the biggest hit was the mock graduation ceremony.

“Students love putting on a gown and the graduation hat to participate in our mock graduation ceremonies,” Mr Griffiths said.

“The aura surrounding university graduation is something that older generations seem to pass down to the younger ones as they go through school, so when kids get a taste of what becoming a university graduate one day might feel like - they love it.

“That’s why Check it Out! Day is so popular each year. It gives primary school students a hands-on insight into the pathways university can offer as many don’t have anyone they can direct questions about university to.

“Our team builds confidence by breaking down barriers around university study.”

Each year Check it Out! Day receives positive feedback from students in attendance.

A student from Dubbo West Public School said, ‘I really want to come to this uni because it’s so close and it’s so cool!”   

Mr Griffiths said one of the Future Moves convenors of this years’ workshops, Kiara Bennett, was also a student within the Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies.

“Kiara was completing her internship hours with us, and was excited to get an opportunity to work with young people before going into the workforce,” he said.  

More information about Future Moves and its events is available on the Future Moves website.

Future Moves is operated by Charles Sturt and aims to inspire school students and young people from regional and rural areas to consider further education as a post-school option.

ENDS