BOOKEND UPDATE - July 2010

Welcome to...  BE: The Bookend Trust Newsletter!

Hi, it's Tanaz again, and welcome to my second update on happenings in the world of Bookend. Thank you to everyone for their kind comments last month, and a hearty hello to new mailing-list members who have joined us from Envirofest and the recent careers expos.

Awards, partnerships, sponsorships, scholarships, a temporary departure, documentaries, exhibitions, events and expos - we've had another very busy month packed with news, so let's get to it!

In June, we attended the Tasmanian Awards for Environmental Excellence, hosted by the Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority at the Wrest Point Convention Centre, with guests Tim Costello and Minister David O'Byrne MP.

 This was an enjoyable and rewarding night and Bookend was privileged to win the Tasmanian Award for Environmental Excellence in Education.  The award singled out the calibre of our program, and follows the Pride of Australia Medal awarded for environmental endeavour in 2008, and Expedition Class winning the Australian Geographic Society Spirit of Adventure Award in 2009.

The prize money of $1,500 will help with operational costs, including financing new equipment to document student work in the coming year. Niall’s acceptance speech on behalf of the Bookend team can be read here.

Congratulations to the nominees and winners across all of the Award categories - there's a lot of great and inspiring work being done out there!

Before the Tassie Tiger Hunt expedition begins in October there are about 1,000 students to visit in schools around Tasmania, and we’re aiming for another 4,000 to follow the adventure online. For the next few months Andrew will be distributing class resource kits and talking to students about what they might discover in the wilds of South West Tasmania and Papua New Guinea.

If you're a teacher there's also a professional development workshop in Hobart on 23rd July, and if you happen to be in Sydney for Science in the City (August 19/20) you can catch Andrew presenting for Australian Geographic at the museum.

In the meantime, check out the refurbished website www.expeditionclass.com.

Ninna heads west...

In late July, after handing our 2010 educational documentary to editor Gavin, our multimedia expert Ninna, will be leaving us for two months!  Never fear – Ninna will be back, but in the meantime she will be joining the SharingStories Project for two months in remote indigenous communities in Arnhem Land and The Kimberley.

The SharingStories digital online project teaches school students in the communities how to produce and upload their own online content. The process enables the students to find their creative voice with which they can explore, tell and share their own stories as well as participate in the creation of cultural recordings with their own elders.

We wish Ninna safe journeys and hope she has a superb and rewarding time!

As many of you know, we attended Envirofest at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in early June, alongside the UTAS Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology. Despite the chilly winter weather, heaps of people came out to enjoy the day, with more than 5,000 people through the gates!

At the Bookend stall we chatted to a great range of interested people, and had a wonderful response to interactive activities testing hand-grip strength to see who was stronger than the Tassie Devil’s jaws!

In the last few weeks we have also attended school career expos held at Elizabeth College and Rosny College. At these we chatted to interested students and teachers about Bookend's wide number of programs.

Many students were surprised to learn that they could help work towards positive environmental solutions through a whole range of disciplines and careers beyond the more obvious ones. We will look forward to seeing the same faces making an exciting difference in coming years!

Our next schools documentary “Acid Seas and Lost Hollows: what you can do” will premiere at the UTAS Open Day in Hobart on Sunday 8 August, before travelling to other UTAS campuses and locations. Full screening details will be sent out in our next update in early August, or please contact us (info@bookendtrust.com) for more details on these showings or on how to book your own.

Grab your diary and scribble 'Going to Adventure Learning photo exhibition, 6-8pm' on Friday 27th August at the Fine Arts space in the TUU building, UTAS Sandy Bay. Twenty beautifully framed photos from the past three expeditions will be for sale to support our Expedition Class program. A few stories will be told and drinks and nibbles available. If you can’t make it for the opening, please note the exhibition will be open in the same space for the following week.

Meanwhile, don’t forget that The Burning Season orang-utan exhibition is about to head to the UTAS Cradle Coast campus in August, and then to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens from September to October. 

Best wishes,

Tanaz