Students from Southern River College and Yarralinka Primary School have joined forces in a new Mandarin Buddy Program. This initiative is helping to build confidence, leadership and cultural appreciation across both schools.
The program, launched in Term 2, saw Southern River College Year 10 students’ step into leadership roles as cultural ambassadors. They guided Year 3 learners at Yarralinka through stories, plays and traditional Chinese customs.
There were performances of Chinese folktales, props and costumes, and even homemade ‘nián gāo’ (sweet sticky rice cake) and oranges, foods that symbolise prosperity and good fortune. Younger students listened, and then reflected on what they had learnt before voting on their favourite presentations.
The Year 3 students found the experience exciting. Some felt nervous at first, but in the end, it was rewarding.
“I felt ecstatic. I like when the Year 10 students shared snacks,” Davida said.
“It felt nerve-wrecking because Mandarin was a new language for me at that time. However, I really enjoyed the experience,” Ayden said.
“I enjoyed the presentations because they were very entertaining,” Naiara said.
Others said they learnt lessons that went outside the classroom.
“I learnt interesting information about the Kitchen God. It inspires me to make different choices because sometimes in life we have to make the right choices even though it is hard,” Pratham said.
“We learnt about the Ghost Festival. It taught me how Chinese people respect the elders,” Davida said.
“I like learning about the Dragon Boat Festival. It inspires me to celebrate it,” Amelia said.
The Year 3s are already hoping for more hands-on learning. “I look forward to learning how to make dumplings,” Davida said. “We can maybe do some Chinese cooking with the Year 10s and do food tasting,” Amelia and Raphael added.
On the other hand, the high schoolers found the program just as meaningful. Year 10 student Danielle said stepping into a leadership role was daunting but satisfying.
“It felt awkward but amazing. It was awkward because of all the weight on your shoulders and the eyes looking up at you. The amazing part though is when you socialise, see the smile and entertainment on their faces,” she said.
“At the beginning I was scared to talk but when I did it was nice, helping them colour and spell words was fulfilling. I took away that you need to be slow and patient but not act like they are mindless blobs. They are human beings just like us, they just haven’t gotten to where we have yet.”
Yarralinka Primary Mandarin teacher Florence Fitzgerald said the collaboration created genuine engagement on both sides.
“The initiative has been a fantastic opportunity to see student engagement in action, with Year 10s showing impressive leadership and effort in their presentations,” she said. “Their enthusiasm helped create a welcoming and interactive environment for the younger students, setting a strong foundation for future connections.”
She added the program also created continuity in the Mandarin curriculum between primary and high school. “By working together, we can enrich language learning and foster deeper cultural understanding.”
Southern River College Mandarin coordinator Lauren Hamilton said she was proud of the way her students embraced the challenge.
“It’s an honour that SRC is lighting the way for other high schools to go above and beyond just teaching languages as a mandated subject, but as one that opens up invaluable skills and opportunities for students: cultural appreciation, empathy, leadership, historical knowledge and critical thinking,” she said.
Both schools plan to build on the success of the first visit with more buddy activities in the future.
