Together, we turn hope into reality
'Each one of us needs to take that personal step to do whatever they can to make that difference, to increase the hope and show our young that the world can be shaped by them'
Our Primary School children are a force to be reckoned with because, at this young age, they are filled with optimism and are ready to embrace hope and promise without caution or negative bias.
In my privileged position, I had the opportunity to share with them the future improvements we plan to make to the high school buildings and outdoor spaces. Sitting on the edge of their seats, the students in Years K-6 listened intently as I recounted the remarkable history of Moriah College. I told them how it sprouted from the seeds of necessity and the aspirations of our visionary founders in the post-Holocaust era, and became a place where Jewish students could nurture their identity and aspirations, growing both in their Jewish self and their life goals, all while receiving an education crafted to help them become their very best.
The students were captivated by each new detail of the planned improvements—the collaborative spaces, green areas, and multipurpose zones for sports, dance, and connection. They were excited by the new learning environments designed to foster literature, inquiry, professional mentorship, and innovative learning strategies. These spaces promise to be future-focused and timeless in their educational value.
By the end of the big reveal, the students’ enthusiasm was almost uncontainable. Their chatter filled the room—lively, energetic, and focused all at once. Their eyes sparkled with curiosity, not with doubts or concerns like “What could go wrong?” or “What if it doesn’t work?” or “How will this fit with everything else?” Instead, their questions were filled with optimism and eagerness: “What can I do to make this happen?” “How can I contribute?” “When will I get to grow and learn in that space?”
The Role of Hope in Education
As educators and caregivers, one of our most vital responsibilities is to nurture the intellect and also the emotional and psychological wellbeing of our students—a process closely tied to fostering a sense of hope. Hope is a key metric in Australia’s Gallup Student Poll (GSP), which also measures other non-cognitive factors like wellbeing, engagement, and entrepreneurial aspirations. Unfortunately, the Gallup Poll reveals that students’ levels of hope often decline as they progress through the school system. Every experience in a child’s life, along with the collective attitudes modelled by the adults around them, shapes how they perceive the world and their personal agency to influence their life’s trajectory.
It is crucial, particularly for children aged 5-12, to develop and sustain a sense of hope, helping to hardwire their neural pathways to think in a positive, forward-looking manner. Hope has a profound impact on both academic and personal success. A decline in hope has been linked to decreased engagement, reduced academic performance, and diminished overall wellbeing—factors that can affect long-term outcomes, such as university attendance and achieving personal goals later in life.
For the above reason, it is critical that parents and educators model hope, passion, and a positive energy as they enter this final phase of the Rise Up Campaign and authentically take steps towards their emotional, physical, or financial contribution to realising a dream which hopes to make the best future for Generation Alpha and those that bookend this generation.
The Environment as a Teacher
The environment in which our children learn plays a pivotal role in shaping their educational experiences and laying the groundwork for a better future. It is often referred to as “the third teacher” which emphasises that the physical and emotional environment significantly influence what students learn and how they learn it. At Moriah College, it is essential that we provide our students with this ‘third teacher,’ complementing their world-class educators (the second teachers) and their deeply committed parents (the first teachers).
By implementing future-focused pedagogy and practice with complementary building design, we can help students build a strong foundation for contemporary lifelong learning and personal growth. This ensures that our students thrive academically and also develop the skills and mindset needed for this rapidly changing, extremely challenging, globalised world, and develop a sense of agency over their own learning and their future.
The Future is Now
Our Generation Alpha students are growing up in a time of unprecedented change and opportunity. The choices we make today will directly impact their pathways and prospects. As we work together to create an environment that fosters hope and prepares students for the future, we are not just investing in their academic success, we are reinforcing their sense that they are valued, that they are worth the investment, and they have an exemplary model of delayed gratification and determination in the adults in their world. The algorithm is clear and the energy of Rise Up is palpable. Now each one of us needs to take that personal step to do whatever they can to make that difference, to increase the hope and show our young that the world can be shaped by them instead of being a world that happens to them.
Join the force and Rise Up to create what is critical for our children. They are our future, and they are worth it.
Lynda Fisher is Head of Primary School at Moriah College. riseupmoriah.org.au
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