Pilbara students’ creativity takes stand for health

Pilbara school students wowed a big crowd with their dancing, acting and musical talents at an arts extravaganza for better mental health awareness held in Karratha last Monday.

Students from Millars Well Primary School, Karratha Senior High School and Hedland SHS performed before an audience of several hundred people at the Pilbara regional heat of Act Belong Commit annual event YOH Fest — which stands for Youth on Mental Health Festival — at the Red Earth Arts Precinct.

The festival, which aims to give students across WA a platform to explore health issues in a creative way, has been running for 21 years and while Pilbara heats have previously been held in Hedland, this marked its debut in Karratha.

YOH Fest project manager Oliver Bazzani said organisers were pleased with the big turnout and based on that hoped the Pilbara would become a permanent fixture on the event’s tour around regional WA.

“The energy in the room tonight was awesome,” he said.

“In a place like this, after tonight and the talent that we saw and the whole community getting around it, I think it’s really exciting times.”

The theme of this year’s YOH Fest is “pushed to the limits”.

Contemporary dance and drama dominated the Pilbara acts, which included a dance medley from Millars Well PS, a play about overcoming the schoolyard status quo from Hedland SHS, and several stunning solo and duo dance performances from Karratha SHS.

All of the acts were awarded with a merit certificate.

The overall WA finalists, who will compete at the grand final in Mandurah later this year, will be announced on the official YOH Fest Facebook page on September 19.