Jaz Fusi dreams of being a theatre star – performing on stage or screen.

For Lucas Meehan, music is where his passion lies.

The two Year 6 students were among 25 students who travelled 16 hours and more than 1000 kilometres from Menindee Central School, on Barkindji Country, to participate in Newcastle University’s Children’s University and University Steps programs this week.

Menindee Central School Senior Leader Community Engagement Daniel Fusi said it was the second year their students had participated in the program.

“It’s a great program where the students are exposed to different things,” he said.

“We’ve got kids who now want to be dentists or marine biologists.

“What it really does is get the students thinking about university.”

Students attended the university’s NU Space in the Newcastle CBD to participate in activities, ranging from theatre and drum workshops, to engineering and architecture demonstrations.

“My favourite thing was doing the instrument call and response,” Lucas said.

“The instructor would play a beat and then we’d all play the beat. Then we got our own beat to play, and finally we put it all together as a harmony. We called it the Pakka Beat, after the river at home.”

Mr Fusi said the Children’s University and University Steps programs opened a world of possibilities for students from remote areas like Menindee, but it was the approach Newcastle University had taken with the program that really resonated with the community.

“Being from a remote community there are not a lot of people who have gone to university,
he said.

“It’s a really big thing for families to trust us and have us bring their children here.

“The university has been super supportive throughout our involvement in the program. They came out to Menindee in March to present the students with their awards. That shows they respect us.

“It also helps families and the students. If they see [the university] enough times, it becomes familiar for them, and they have a much better understanding about what it is and what the students do.”

Children’s University and University Steps Manager Selina Darney said the program was not just about exposing students to university life, but also learning about land and culture.

“It’s not just the workshops we do with them at the university,” she said.

“The students all have a Passport to Learning they need to complete and in the afternoons at home in Menindee, Daniel runs activities like cooking or cultural awareness sessions, where students can log learning hours.

“When they’ve logged 30 hours, they’re eligible for their first certificate and they can go all the way up to 1000 learning hours if they wish.”

Newcastle University has been running the Children’s University program for primary-aged children since 2016 and the University Steps program for students from years 7 to 10 for the past two years.

For Menindee Central students, participating in the programs is also a lure to ensure they maintain good attendance.

“Students have to keep their attendance up to take part,” Mr Fusi said.

“There is power in numbers and last year’s graduates are spruiking it to this year’s kids.

“By the end of their schooling, they will have been on a dozen trips to the university. The kids have goals and you see that spark in them and see them light up.”