Middle Swan Primary School wins this year’s Seven West Media Education Starring Your School competition

On December 2, Seven West Media Education and Alinta transformed the streets of Perth into a magical wonderland, igniting the holiday spirit and bringing joy to thousands of people.

This annual event has become a cherished tradition for both locals and visitors, offering a delightful experience for all ages. The spectacular event managed to captivate the hearts of all the kids who attended.

One school that shone bright was Middle Swan Primary School, the winners of this year’s Seven West Media Education Starring Your School competition, which awarded one outstanding WA school the opportunity to celebrate by being part of the action in the parade.

Middle Swan Primary School teachers and students alike were enthusiastic about participating and enjoyed the event. Tania Georgiou, one of the teachers, believed that entering the competition would be beneficial for the students and families, fostering community interest and creating lifelong memories.

“I was inspired to enter Middle Swan Primary School into the Starring Your School competition as I felt that if would be good for the students and families,” Ms Georgiou said.

“I also felt that it would foster a community interest and create lifelong memories for the school and students who attended the pageant. I felt that after COVID we did not have as much family engagement within the school and the community, and the pageant was a way to engage with the families within our school and the wider community.”

Kylie Todd, a deputy at the school, said preparations started right after winning the competition, with a photo shoot where the students got to dress up in Christmas accessories and showcase their school.

“The students were so excited to be dressed up in Christmas accessories while showcasing our school,” Mrs Todd said.

“On the night the students were amazing, and they enjoyed everything the pageant had to offer, including high fives to the public viewing the show, seeing all the floats while waiting for the pageant to start.

“It was a magical night. Our students felt like celebrities.”

Renee West, another teacher, expressed her joy in seeing all the families and smiling faces, emphasizing that being part of such a positive event was a favourite part of the experience.

”(It was great) Seeing all the families and smiling faces. Our school loved being part of such a positive event,” Mrs West said.

When interviewed, students Lakyn Jeans, Nikyrah Jones, and Aniyah Lewis were all proud to be part of the parade and felt that their school won the competition because of their hard work and the impressive nature of their school.

One of their favourite memories of the night was ”high fiving all the spectators, especially the children, and seeing the various floats.”

The students also agreed that it was fun spotting celebrities like Fat Cat, Santa, and the Spud Shed man. Aniyah Lewis also mentioned how much fun it was to walk in the parade, with thousands of people in attendance.

Middle Swan Primary School had a memorable and exciting experience at the Starring Your School Competition. Participating in the pageant allowed them to showcase their school, engage with the community, and create special memories for everyone involved.

As the sun began to set, the streets came alive with twinkling lights, colourful decorations, and an infectious atmosphere of celebration. The Seven Media West and Alinta Christmas Pageant marked the beginning of the holiday season, enchanting spectators with a grand parade filled with magnificent floats, lively performances, and cheerful participants.

”It was so fun, we got to see so many people. We walked until the end. We waved, smiled and wished them Merry Christmas. We also got to high five people.The night was exciting and really, really fun. We walked past thousands of people. It was so good to see people we knew.”

Student, Aniyah Lewis