Media Centre

By Mary Bolling

Sue Osmond still remembers her first encounter with Healthy Harold the giraffe and the Life Education program – a rite of passage for young Australians since 1979, bringing important health and safety lessons to life with technology, fun and an iconic, cheeky mascot.

As a curious 10-year-old, the young Queenslander was fascinated to learn how humans work. Today that curiosity still drives her, helping thousands more children explore and understand healthy bodies and healthy relationships.

As Life Ed Queensland Program Delivery Manager, Ms Osmond oversees a team of 30 statewide educators connecting with more than 180,000 Queensland kids in primary schools every year.

The journey began with her Bachelor of Sociology at CQUniversity Rockhampton, and big questions about social dynamics.

Continue reading 

Listen to the Hand Up, Stand Up for QLD Kids Giving Day Interview with CEO Michael Fawsitt on Triple M Radio

Listen to the Harold’s Kindness Week Interview with Partnership Coordinator Michelle Pipino on ABC North West Qld Radio

Messages of health and safety shared during Reconciliation Week activities 

By Ben Carr 

Updated June 4 2024 – 9:48am, first published June 1 2024 – 8:00am 

Ngukuthati Children and Family Centre manager Willanna Morris and family support coordinator Kaitlin Daley during Reconciliation Week activities.  

Life Ed Queensland hit the streets of Mount Isa and Cloncurry this week sharing a message of health, safety and positive choices. 

Eight north west schools, kindergartens and community groups had a visit from Healthy Harold during a week long program of creative activities for National Reconciliation Week. 

Named Harold’s Kindness Week, the activities promoted a kinder, more respectful community and tie in with this year’s theme of Now More Than Ever. 

Kindergarten student Sully King displays a message during Harold’s Kindness Week activities. Picture supplied

Continue reading the full story here

Life Ed presents vaping class | Redland City News 

Life Education Queensland, was published in SoWot Magazine in the ‘Charity Partner’ section. Highlighting the incredible programs that reach 700,000 children every year. Read the full article here.

Staff Writers

Feb 22 2023

Lann Levinge and Bianca Hayes

After 35 years of working with children in schools across the state, Life Ed Queensland has celebrated a new milestone.

The iconic program, which empowers children with health, safety and social and emotional learning, has a bold new head office in the Broadbeach Community Space following the Gold Coast City Council’s $14.8 million makeover of the Broadbeach Cultural Precinct.

Life Ed Queensland patron the Hon. Rob Borbidge AO mc-ed Friday’s office launch and was joined by the charity’s Queensland board, state and national CEOs, staff and supporters.

Kombumerri man Lann Levinge – a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist – and dancer Bianca Hayes opened the celebration with a stirring Welcome to Country performance which blended music, dance and video elements.

After guests heard stories about the impact of the Life Ed program, Healthy Harold fever took hold, with the lovable giraffe ambassador making a surprise appearance to the melody, “Harold, I want to be cool like you”.

Life Ed shares the Broadbeach Community Space with some of the city’s leading arts and cultural organisations including Placemakers* Gold Coast, which produces the Bleach arts festival.

Life Ed Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt says his team is thrilled to be back at Broadbeach after more than 12 months of precinct renovation.

“This is an exciting milestone in Life Ed Queensland’s history,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Broadbeach has been the headquarters for our work with Queensland children for 35 years. Now, thanks to council’s vision, we have this amazing new space, which is going to help us make an even greater difference in the lives of Gold Coast and Queensland children.

“This year alone, more than 30,000 Gold Coast children and over 200,000 Queensland children will receive vital health and wellbeing education through the work of Life Ed.”

The new space features a stunning foyer display showcasing the charity’s key milestones, and a high-tech sound and video studio which will allow educators to zoom virtual lessons into regional and remote parts of Queensland.

For Jack Ray, deputy chair of the Life Ed board, the office unveil is a personal milestone. His father, the late Brian Ray, founded the original Life Education Centre in 1987 along with fellow Gold Coast business leader Ron McMaster, the duo funding the building construction with support from the local business community.

“My parents strongly believed in the positive impact that Life Education has on children’s lives, so it’s a proud moment that we are now celebrating this new chapter for Life Ed Queensland,” Mr Ray said.

“I’ve always believed in the power of the Life Ed program with its focus on preventative education and teaching kids about drugs, alcohol, smoking and vaping, but I’m so excited to see how the organisation has evolved to deal with the issues schools and young people are dealing with today.

“The Life Ed program now covers mental health, bullying, cybersafety, puberty, respectful relationships and consent; and schools have been telling us that teachers, parents and children need greater support in these areas.”

Although Life Ed’s team of 30 roving educators will continue to deliver themed modules in around 700 schools and preschools throughout Queensland, the new Life Ed office will be able to accommodate parent seminars and education sessions.

“We are really excited about having an even greater opportunity to work with students and parents now that we are back in the Broadbeach head office space,” Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said.

“It’s a new era, and a chance to build upon our proud legacy of empowering Queensland children to make safer and healthier choices through education.”

After 35 years of working with children in Queensland schools, we are beyond excited to mark a new Life Ed Queensland milestone.

Friday 17th February, we officially launched our new office space at Broadbeach. Located in the Gold Coast City Council’s newly renovated Broadbeach Community Space, it’s a vibrant new hub for our charity’s state-wide reach and mission – empowering thousands of children with health and safety education.

Channel 9’s coverage:

Channel 7’s coverage:

Our Healthy Eats Program, was featured in ‘Talking Tuckshops’ recently. And we couldn’t be more proud. Loganholme State School, has collaborated with Healthy Eats and QAST to develop a smart choices tuckshop menu.

You can read the full story here –> Healthy Eats Magazine Story

29 November 2022

My City Logan

Loganholme State School students are getting a daily dose of healthy fruit and vegetables thanks to a garden-to-plate nutrition education program that’s inspiring the bulk of the school to make healthier choices.

Life Ed Queensland’s Healthy Eats program was introduced to the school after teachers noticed many lunch boxes were lacking nutritious essentials.

“A lot of our students were not exposed to healthy lunches and also had poor menu options before school, so that was what spurred us on,” deputy principal Renee Child said.

A year after adopting the program, abundant herb and vegetable gardens thrive alongside play areas.

The school’s tuckshop has been recognised with a five-star rating by the Queensland Association of School Tuckshops (QAST), a big jump from the previous score of just one star.

The school tuckshop uses produce from the veggie gardens in lunchtime salads, and savvy menu marketing has made snacks like apple slinkies and frozen pineapple hula-hoops a hit with students.

Year 6 student Maddison Bass loves the new tuckshop menu and says eating healthy fuels her passion for dance.

“Before, there were lots of unhealthy foods like hotdogs but now there are salads, and a lot more fruit. I like the frozen yoghurt bars,” she said.

Year 5 student Kruiz Neads enjoys watering, nurturing and picking the school’s veggie crop, but has also turned into a green thumb at home.

“I’m growing my own garden now because the Healthy Eats program has inspired me to, and I’m eating healthier recipes. We are growing strawberries, carrots and bananas,” he said.

Life Ed Queensland nutritionist Jaclyn Coffey led the school’s Healthy Eats journey, engaging students, teachers and parents in a raft of fun, accessible activities to improve the school food environment and encourage youngsters to get their two and five.

“Healthy Eats is much more than a one-off nutrition session or a simple veggie garden project,” Ms Coffey said.

“We work closely with participating schools and partners like QAST and Bunnings across the entire year to provide a toolkit of ideas tailored to the school’s unique environment and circumstances.

“Loganholme is a great example of how the program can change mindsets and habits, and it’s been so exciting to empower the school community to embed activities that are making a big difference to children’s health.”

Brain breaks in the classroom, nutrition sessions for students and teachers, tuckshop menu reviews, parent education, lunchbox recipe ideas and student leadership teams, are just some of the Healthy Eats initiatives helping kids learn that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring.

Deputy principal Renee Child says the whole program has had a positive impact.

“The teachers have noticed that there’s been a lot more settled behaviour within the classrooms, which is great,” Ms Child said. “And obviously, the more settled they are, the more focused they are.”

21 September 2022

Gold Coast Bulletin

Life Ed Queensland, the program which has influenced generations of children with health, safety and positive mental health education, is turning the sod on a new era after a multi-million-dollar revamp of the charity’s Broadbeach headquarters.

The Life Education Centre opposite Pacific Fair was founded in 1987 by Gold Coast property developers and philanthropists, the late Brian Ray and Ron McMaster. Support from the local business community at the time raised $1.8 million for the construction of the building, which has served as the charity’s iconic state headquarters for more than 30 years.

Now the building is set for a new chapter following extensive renovation as part of the Gold Coast City Council’s Broadbeach Cultural Precinct project.

With work due for completion in November, Life Ed Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said staff and famous mascot Healthy Harold were eager to return to the charity’s familiar base after more than 12 months renting temporary office space in Nerang.

“There’s so much nostalgia associated with the Broadbeach Life Education Centre,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Many Gold Coast residents can remember visiting the centre for Life Ed sessions during primary school and seeing Harold the giraffe emerge in the old amphitheatre class spaces. Moving forward, the centre will become part of a cultural hub, and we’re excited to be sharing the space with other community and cultural groups who are making a positive difference for the city.”

“The great news is that the redeveloped building will enable us to welcome Gold Coast students back to the centre, with modern new spaces where we can deliver a range of programs to students, teachers and parents.”

For Jack Ray, who now runs his late father’s Ray Group property development company with his brother Tom, the return to the Broadbeach centre will be a sentimental homecoming. Jack has continued his father’s legacy with Life Ed Queensland for more than a decade and is now deputy chair of the charity’s board.

“I’ve always believed in the power of the Life Ed program with its focus on preventative education and teaching kids about drugs, alcohol and smoking, but I’m so excited to see how the organisation has evolved to deal with the issues schools and young people are dealing with today,” Mr Ray said.

“In recent years, the program has grown to include an increased focus on mental health, puberty, respectful relationships and consent, and the feedback we’ve been receiving from schools, parents and children is phenomenal.”

Although Life Ed’s team of 30 roving educators will continue to deliver sessions in around 700 schools and preschools throughout Queensland, the renovated Broadbeach office will support other innovative modes of delivery.

CEO Michael Fawsitt said a new state-of-the-art video and sound studio would allow educators to deliver virtual lessons to children in regional and remote parts of Queensland.

“The new and improved Life Ed headquarters will not only benefit the Gold Coast region where we have positively impacted more than 250,000 children for the past 36 years, it will be the central hub for our entire Queensland program underpinning continued innovation in our work with children,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“We are really excited about having an even greater opportunity to work with students and parents when we move back into the centre.
“It’s a new chapter, and a chance to build upon our proud legacy of empowering Queensland children to make safer and healthier choices through education.”

24 August 2022

The Sector

Annie Bryce, the CEO of Edge Early Learning, has put on her sneakers to walk more than 100 kilometers to raise money for Life Education as part of the Healthy Harold Hundred.

Her efforts are all the more impressive given she was recovering from back surgery at the time, still managing to walk more than 3km a day for the month of June, raising more than $11,500.

During the Healthy Harold Hundred, participants promise to walk, run or ride more than 100km in 30 days to fundraise for initiatives which Life Education undertakes to prevent bullying through education in schools.

“It was a big effort, but I believe it was so worth it for this immensely important cause,” Ms Bryce said.

“I’m humbled to have raised more than $11,500 for such an incredible cause and I encourage others to get involved and take on the Healthy Harold Hundred. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who sponsored me.”

The Healthy Harold Hundred helps to raise awareness to tackle the problems of bullying and violence before it happens.

All funds raised will support the vital work of Life Education Queensland in travelling to schools in all corners of the state to teach respect, empathy, resilience and healthy relationships. These skills help to prevent bullying as children are growing up and help to break the cycle of future violence.

For more information on the challenge head to the dedicated website, here.

23 August 2022

The Sector

The children and educators from Kenmore Park Kindergarten are rejoicing after winning the supreme grant in the national Growing Good Gardens Grant program which will support their vision of an edible ‘good food rainbow garden’.

Supported by Healthy Harold, Life Ed Australia and Yates, the Growing Good Gardens Grant program attracted more than 520 entries this year.

Kenmore Park will use the $2000 grant to bring its imaginative entry to life, showcasing a vibrant farm-to-plate garden of herbs, vegetables and diverse fruit trees.

Along with Kenmore Park Kindy, another nine schools and community groups across the country were awarded a $1,000 Growing Good Gardens Grant to inspire the next generation of budding gardeners to get outside, activate their green thumbs and make healthier choices.

“We want our garden to complement our kindy’s philosophy – a rainbow of possibilities,” Kenmore Park Director, Zainab Ali explained.

“Our goal is to plant a colourful and enticing selection of produce that celebrates Australian Indigenous bush tucker, along with unique selections such as purple snow peas and glass gem corn, and the familiar lettuce, pumpkin, radish, mangoes, strawberries, and tomatoes.”

“Not only will children be able to learn about the life cycle of plants and environmental sustainability, but they’ll also have hands-on experiences with food that increase familiarity with taste and texture and enhance their willingness to try healthy foods.”

Parent committee member Colleen Hebbert submitted the plans and grant entry on behalf of the kindergarten, saying she can “already picture the joy on children’s faces as they join parents, educators and volunteers to plan and plant our good food rainbow garden from scratch and work together to continue nurturing it.”

The project will involve the entire kindergarten community and will support the children to learn more about food production, from planting, growing and harvesting to healthy food preparation and cooking.

Congratulating the kindergarten on its success, Life Ed Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said involving children in gardening was a fun and challenging way to boost healthy eating.

“Children learn so much from being involved in the process of planting and maintaining their own gardens. They become outdoor spaces for fun and hands-on learning,” he shared.

“Since 2018, our Growing Good Gardens Grant program has helped schools and community groups turn gardening dreams into reality, and ultimately, that’s helping to create healthier minds and bodies.”

Kenmore Park Kindy volunteers will start the rainbow garden project within the next few months and are keen to source produce and materials from local plant nurseries as well as Yates.

4 June 2022

7 News Central Queensland

3 June 2022

Bundaberg Today

Monica McFarlane with daughters Winter and Marlee wants to educate people that bullying is a growing issue.

As a mother Monica McFarlane is focused on being a role model for her children and making their lives that much easier however she can.

Already aware of the need for further education in schools, workplaces and more when it comes to bullying and violence, it was taken to another level for Monica when her seven-year-old daughter Winter was bullied, so she knew she needed to take action.

With two other school aged children, Monica knows the benefits of leading the way so she has signed up for this year’s Healthy Harold Hundred – a fun fitness and fundraising challenge tackling schoolyard bullying and violence.

Ms McFarlane said she knew this was a positive way to raise awareness and much needed funds for this valuable program.

“When you look at your children, you know that you want better for them and that means putting an end to bullying in whatever form it comes,” she said.

“I believe there isn’t enough education in regards to this issue, so need to continue to encourage and fun programs like Healthy Harold so that children are able to appreciate from a young age that it isn’t acceptable.

“I know that at times life can be challenging for children, but ultimately, they need to appreciate that there is a real connection between their words and someone’s pain and that bullying in any form is wrong.

“The Healthy Harold Hundred is a great way for us to get out and about as a family and raise awareness in our community through doorknocking in our neighbourhood for our fundraiser and also getting the kilometres up through riding bikes to school and so many other fun and healthy activities.”

Children’s health promotion charity Life Ed Queensland wants people of all ages to take on the challenge, joining the MOVEment to walk, run or ride 100Ks throughout the month of June to raise money for Life Ed’s much-needed respectful relationships programs in schools.

Life Ed Queensland chief executive officer Michael Fawsitt said entrants and key event ambassadors would help spotlight a big community issue, with school bullying skyrocketing since the pandemic.

“Bullying affects one in four school children between years 4 and 9, and one in five children is cyber-bullied,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Sadly, victims of bullying, violence and abuse are impacted physically, socially and emotionally; it can destroy a young person’s confidence and self-esteem and their desire to learn and go to school.

“Bullying isn’t just something we can dismiss as a rite of passage in the schoolyard.

“It’s absolutely vital that we continue to work with schools to educate children in an age-appropriate way about the various forms of bullying; cybersafety; and strategies to build positive relationships with their peers, family and friends.”

More than 400 Queenslanders have already registered for the Healthy Harold Hundred, including fitness mentors, parents, teachers and students, all keen to take a stand against bullying. Olympic gold medallist Brooke Hanson is one of the key ambassadors.

The 100-kilometre challenge works out to about 3.3Ks a day, but participants can nominate any distance whilst raising funds from their donor community, tracking their progress on an interactive personal dashboard.

The event starts on Wednesday 1 June and can be completed anywhere by individuals or teams.

Registration is free and there are prizes for entrants who meet fundraising targets.

To learn more, head to healthyharoldhundred.org.au

31 May 2022

9 News Gold Coast

31 May 2022

7 News Gold Coast

29 May 2022

Beaudesert Times

ON THE MARCH: Jason Miller, Skye Taylor and Tristan Oort join Healthy Harold in a warm up. Photo: Supplied

10 May 2022

ABC Radio Queensland

18 March 2022

ABC Radio Brisbane

18 March 2022

7 News Gold Coast

18 March 2022

9 News Gold Coast

6 March 2022

Bundaberg Today

Burnett Heads State School Year 6’s Keian Hutchinson and Steven Churchill with Life Ed QLD’s Natalie Hopsick. Picture: AARON GOODWIN

Leading health promotion charity Life Ed Queensland has welcomed the historic decision by education ministers across Australia to implement mandatory consent education in all schools from 2023.

The mandate means all Australian schools will be required to teach age-appropriate consent education – which includes coercion, gendered stereotypes and power imbalances – from foundation to Year 10.

Life Ed Queensland chief executive officer Michael Fawsitt, said it was vital to teach respectful relationships education to this generation to help prevent bullying, abuse and violence, now and in the future.

“Respect and empathy are fundamental for healthy relationships,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Children who lack these attitudes and skills, or who are themselves victims of bullying, abuse or violence, are at risk of being unable to form and maintain respectful relationships at school and as adults.

“This takes much more than a single lesson.

“It has to be constantly reinforced and sustained, which is why Life Ed has a program that supports children to develop these skills throughout their school years, working alongside classroom teachers.”

Renowned for its focus on children’s physical health, social and emotional wellbeing and safety, Life Ed has returned to schools in 2022 with a new name and logo – featuring educational mascot Healthy Harold front and centre – and an increased focus on mental health, respectful relationships and consent.

Two of the charity’s most popular programs, Relate Respect Connect and bCyberwise have been updated to meet the increasingly complex challenges children and young people face today.

Based on the ‘Recognise, React, Report’ model, the updated learning modules empower students to be alert to their own body cues that something is “not right” or unsafe; develop the skills needed to react (for example, stop, block, ignore); and report or seek help, in an age-appropriate way.

In another innovation, Life Ed has also adapted its program for the classroom, as an alternative to delivery in the familiar mobile learning centres or Healthy Harold vans.

“Moving our program into the classroom means we have more space to socially distance and implement small group activities,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“What hasn’t changed is the memorable and dynamic learning experience that students take away from our program, and that so many schools love, supported of course by our much-loved educational mascot, Healthy Harold.”

Burnett Heads State School principal Kirsten Clements said it had been wonderful to have Life Education and Harold back into the school with an adapted program to suit the needs of the learners.

“Life Education always delivers important messages to the students in a way that is meaningful, respectful and age-appropriate,” she said.

“At Burnett Heads State School, we welcome the Life Education Program year after year, and we hope they are able to continue to visit our school for years to come.”

“With the ever-changing world, the Relate, Respect, Connect module is helping students understand how to connect with their own bodies and feelings to recognise when something doesn’t feel right.

“This is something that students can’t be taught – the feeling of uneasiness, the knowledge to recognise that something isn’t right, the understanding of connecting with their own emotions – this is something that students have to learn for themselves.

“As adults we can guide them, but that feeling, is something they need to recognise themselves.”

25 February 2022

The Chronicle

23 February 2022

The North West Star

Senior educator Lane Norman, part of the Life Ed Queensland team empowering children and young people to manage 21st century challenges.

Life Ed Queensland welcomes the historic decision by education ministers across Australia to implement mandatory consent education in all schools from 2023.

The mandate means all schools must teach age-appropriate consent education – which includes coercion, gendered stereotypes and power imbalances – from foundation to Year 10.

It is vital to teach respectful relationships education to help prevent bullying, abuse and violence. Respect and empathy are fundamental for healthy relationships.

Children who lack these attitudes and skills, or who are themselves victims of bullying, abuse or violence, are at risk of being unable to form and maintain respectful relationships at school and as adults.

It has to be constantly reinforced and sustained, which is why Life Ed has a program that supports children to develop these skills throughout their school years, working alongside classroom teachers.

Renowned for its focus on children’s physical health, social and emotional wellbeing and safety, Life Ed has returned to schools in 2022 with a new name and logo – featuring educational mascot Healthy Harold front and centre – and an increased focus on mental health, respectful relationships and consent.

Two of the charity’s most popular programs, Relate Respect Connect and bCyberwise have been updated to meet the increasingly complex challenges children and young people face today.

Data from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner shows that one in four children aged 8-12 have experienced unwanted contact and content while online.

Based on the ‘Recognise, React, Report’ model, the updated learning modules empower students to be alert to their own body cues that something is “not right” or unsafe; develop the skills needed to react (for example, stop, block, ignore); and report or seek help, in an age-appropriate way.

In another innovation, Life Ed has also adapted its program for the classroom, as an alternative to delivery in the familiar mobile learning centres or Healthy Harold vans.

Moving our program into the classroom means we have more space to socially distance and implement small group activities.

– Life Ed Qld CEO Michael Fawsitt

13 October 2021

The Cairns Post

12 October 2021

ABC Far North

31 August 2021

Hit FM – Cliffo & Gabi

18 August 2021

The Whitsunday Times and The Daily Mercury

Persuading children to choose healthy foods is a perennial challenge, but Proserpine State School youngsters are hitting the right mark thanks to a healthy eating partnership with leading children’s health charity Life Education Queensland.

Proserpine Primary is one of 10 schools and community groups across the country to be awarded a $1000 Yates and Life Education Growing Good Gardens Grant to inspire the next generation of budding gardeners to get outside, get their hands dirty and make healthier choices.

Their ‘Little Boots Tuckshop Garden’ entry was chosen from 743 entries for its creativity and quality design, which aims to foster healthy nutrition, physical activity, environmental learning and positive relationships among students and their community.

The school plans to use the grant to transform their existing vegetable patch into a ‘garden paradise’ teeming with herbs, vegetables and fruit trees, with the help of students, the garden club, local community members, the P and C and tuckshop volunteers.

Proserpine Primary green thumbs Kaitlyn and Amber Crisp, Year 5, are set to benefit from Life Education Queensland’s Healthy Eats program. Picture: Jim Cullen

School principal Rob Templeton said the school’s excited young gardeners were keen to turn their gardening dream into a reality.

“School gardens are a wonderful way to use the schoolyard as a classroom, reconnect students with the natural world and the true source of their food, and teach them valuable gardening and agriculture concepts,” Mr Templeton said.

“Thanks to the grant, we’ll be able to provide students with fresh produce and healthier food options as well as provide valuable education on how food is produced, and hopefully instil a love of gardening as well.”

The new garden project is one of several healthy eating initiatives at Proserpine State School, which has also just adopted Life Education Queensland’s award-winning Healthy Eats nutrition program.

Designed to boost veg and fruit consumption in primary school aged children, the program implements a range of in-school and at-home activities across the year, including an engaging nutrition workshop for Year 5s.

Proserpine Primary Year 3 student Chloe Hamilton getting excited about gardening with Life Education Queensland Healthy Eats community development officer Kristina Woodberry. Picture: Jim Cullen

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said Healthy Eats aimed to engage the whole school community including parents, teachers and students to influence healthier food and drink choices.

“We launched Healthy Eats three years ago in 20 north Queensland schools, with funding from the NQPHN, and the results were amazing – 100 per cent of participating schools said Healthy Eats had made a positive difference, and 80 per cent of schools reported a significant improvement in fruit and vegetable consumption.”

The program also supports schools to implement breakfast programs, brain food breaks, intra-school competitions, recipe ideas, teacher lesson plans, support for tuckshops to become Smart Choices compliant, student leadership opportunities, and tips to get the school vegetable garden thriving with backing from Bunnings.

Find out more about the Healthy Eats program, the accreditation process and rewards available to your school via the website.

14 July 2021

The Courier Mail

12 July 2021

The Morning Bulletin

1 July 2021

Central Queensland Today

24 June 2021

WIN News Central Queensland

24 June 2021

7 News Central Queensland

14 May 2021

Bundaberg Today

Rylann Hoopert’s efforts to encourage kindness and prevent bullying as part of the Healthy Harold Hundred have inspired his classmates.

A group of Kalkie State School students and teachers have now registered their own team and are holding a running club each morning as part of the challenge, as well as sharing the message with colourful posters throughout the school.

Kalkie State School classroom teacher for Years 1 and 4, Matt Jones, said when he heard about Rylann’s efforts he wanted to support him to achieve his goals.

Life Education Queensalnd Educator, Rebecca with Rylann Hoopert with his classmates Tali Coyne and Thomas Rehbein.

“To watch Rylann and other students showing initiative by extending their learning outside the classroom and into the community really goes to show that the school is generating creative kids,” he said.

“We know that messages are more powerful when they come from children to children, so I wanted to organise a run club to help him see that students can make a change through their ideas and hard work.

“The message of the fundraiser is important as Healthy Harold is a public figure; he has made a positive influence not only on students but also their families and parents have an appreciation of the messages that Healthy Harold communicates and some of the families even remember Life Education from when they were at school.

“It also shows the community that we are taking on the social/emotional wellbeing of the community and promoting healthy interactions between humans.”

The students have an opportunity to join the school’s running club and this will run every morning before school and contribute to their running total of kilometres.

There will also be a walking group for those students who want to participate but do not wish to run.

“I know how important running is to my own personal health and wellbeing so thought it was a great way to not only get students active in the morning but also prepare them for learning in the classroom,” he said.

“This fundraiser in conjunction with our health and wellbeing program is instilling the understanding of the definition of bullying and strategies to deal with social issues.

“The students responded to the message of kindness and how that was a key to stamping out bullying with Rylann creating a poster with the principal with the slogan ‘Kindness is cool at Kalkie State School’.

“Another student came up with the plan that ‘Bullying No Way Day’ should be important not only for one day of the year, it should be a continual focus and this is being discussed within the student council meetings and they are planning fresh ideas to promote the message of kindness and stamping out bullying.”

The Healthy Harold Hundred is open to Queenslanders of all ages, and challenges participants to walk, run or ride 100 kilometres in 20 days, from 5 to 24 May, to raise important funds for Life Education Queensland’s work in schools including the charity’s respectful relationships programs.

CEO Michael Fawsitt said it was a great way for adults and families to make a positive difference, and the response so far had been amazing.

Rylann’s mum Sky said his efforts showed how kind-hearted and ambitious he was.

“Taking part in this challenge has really allowed him to open up and express his kind-hearted spirit,” she said.

“When he heard that one in four children are bullied on a regular basis, he wanted to be involved in helping make things better straight away because putting an end to all types of bullying has become something he really cares about.

“His fundraising has been going really well as so many friends and loved ones have jumped in to support him and even a small business has kindly donated.

“Rylann feels so genuinely grateful for all of the support that he has received so far, and he has been taking the time to send thank you emails to everyone who sponsors him in the challenge.

“Rylann was fantastic on his first day of running and remains determined, committing to complete the 100km on his own to the very end while all of us watch on and support him.

“Kalkie State School principal Malinda Findlay was proud of his initiative to do the Healthy Harold Hundred, and she wanted to encourage and support Rylann by registering the school to take part in the challenge as a team.

“Rylann was so happy to hear that the school was taking part and he takes pride in being a good role model.

“His main message to others throughout this challenge has been that ‘kindness is cool’ and there is so much power that comes from simply being kind and he is wanting to show that to everyone.”

5 May 2021

Hot 91.1FM Sunshine Coast Sam & Ash

Sam: Now do you remember as a kid, when growing up there was always an opportunity to go and see the Life Education van at your school, and you’d meet Harold. Remember Harold the giraffe?

Ash: Healthy Harold!

Sam: And he’d teach you about all the different things that were going on in the world. And maybe sometimes the not so easy things to talk about with mum and dad. Harold was always there. Well, they’ve come of age and things are going on right now. They’ve got a cool new initiative called the Healthy Harold Hundred and to explain it all joining us right now is the CEO for Queensland, Mr. Michael Fawsitt. Good morning, Michael.

Michael Fawsitt: Good morning guys.

Ash: Hello, now Healthy Harold has a special place in many people’s hearts, especially going through the education system and Healthy Harold popping on by to your school. You’d go in the van and you’d learn all different things about being healthy and what certain things meant. Now, how long exactly has Healthy Harold actually been around Michael?

Michael Fawsitt: Well, it’s been more than 40 years now. Healthy Harold’s become an Australian icon, hasn’t he? We reckon about 6 million Australians over that time have met Harold and have been part of the Life Education program and carry those memories wisdom as adults. And we’re seeing that in a lot of the people signing up to the Healthy Harold Hundred. So it’s wonderful that they’re revisiting this wonderful memory that they had, and they want kids to have that same experience and opportunity to have learned the skills to live a healthy and a safe life.

Sam: So you just mentioned the Healthy Harold Hundred. What is that all about mate? Cause it launches today, yeah?

Michael Fawsitt: Yes. Well, Healthy Harold’s setting Queenslanders a challenge and that is to walk, run or ride, a hundred kilometres over 20 days and that starts today. So that’s 5Ks a day. Although some of us are signed up for 10Ks. You can set what challenge you want to set for yourself and it’s a great way to get fit and healthy and terrific time of year to be doing it at the same time, it’s raising vital funds for a really important issue and that’s helping to tackle bullying, helping to educate young people with the skills, the confidence, the resilience to make good decisions and to be able to deal with these situations if they arise.

Sam: This is great Michael, because one of the things the conversations I always remember about Healthy Harold and going to the van was always sort of the physical elements of your life, you know, about obesity and losing weight and staying healthy and eating right and all those sorts of things. But, this is probably the first major initiative in, towards child’s mental health and looking at those sorts of things because bullying has such a massive impact on those sides of things. It’s really attacking the issues, isn’t it?

Michael Fawsitt: It does. Absolutely. And we know that to be physically healthy, it’s important to be emotionally healthy as well and socially too. And that’s what this campaign really focuses on. You know, bullying does affect the mental health for many young people. And there are many adults that carry the scars of that from their youth as well. It affects relationships. It can affect your performance at school. It can make just getting up out of bed and wanting to go to school every day, a real challenge for kids.

Ash: Yeah it is. It’s so important to be able to keep this going. And it’s just amazing. I feel very privileged to have been, you know, one of those classes through the van to see Healthy Harold back in the day and just how exciting it was when the teacher told us that it was time to go to Healthy Harold, that he was coming to the school and things like that. So keep up the great work. You guys have done such an amazing job of this for, what were you saying? 40 years now. I’m surprised he doesn’t have a beard. I was waiting for the beard to appear on Healthy Harold, but, he hasn’t quite got that just yet, but that’s all right. I mean, maybe giraffes don’t get beards.

Sam: Well, no, well, not this time of year.

Ash: Not this time of year exactly. Yeah. But Michael, thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate it.

Michael Fawsitt: It’s been a pleasure.

4 May 2021

Marnie & Campo, River 94.9 (Ipswich station)

2 May 2021

The Jay & Dave Breakfast Show, Triple M Mackay and Whitsundays

Jay: The countdown is on for the Healthy Harold Hundred. It’s a new fundraising challenge to help stamp out bullying in the schools and also in society as well. To tell us more about Healthy Harold Hundred, Michael Fawsitt. Good morning.

Michael Fawsitt: Good morning.

Jay: Now tell us what’s the Healthy Harold Hundred?

Michael Fawsitt: Well, we’re really excited. This is Healthy Harold’s biggest challenge. So, he’s challenging Queenslanders to walk, run or ride, a hundred Ks over 20 days, which starts next Wednesday on the 5th of May. So it’s five Ks a day, and it’s all for a great cause to raise money so that the Life Education program can get into more schools and help to tackle this issue of bullying, that affects one in four children.

Jay: You know, Dave and I were talking about bullying the other day, actually. You know, I’m in my forties, Dave’s in his forties. I mean, we look like we’re 21, but we’re actually 40. But, I remember being at school and bullying happened, as lots of schools have, you know, I think it’s just an issue with children, but now with technology bullying follows them home. So this is a great initiative to try and get some tools, I guess in mind, to make sure that that doesn’t affect these children long-term.

Michael Fawsitt: Absolutely, and bullying online can actually be even more relentless and hurtful because you know, you can hide behind a computer screen. You can say things online that you never have the courage to say face to face. And so you’re exactly right, bullying now doesn’t end at the school gate. You can be bullied in your bedroom. And so this is, this is reality for many young people. It affects their mental health, affects their self-confidence, their relationships with others. It can really make every day a struggle for a child.

Dave: It doesn’t just affect the child. It also affects the parents as well. Cause they’re…

Jay: They don’t know what to do, do they?

Dave: Exactly.

Michael Fawsitt: Absolutely. And you know, this is why we’re running this campaign. It’s a way that parents and look, every Queenslander can make a difference around this issue because the more money we can raise, the more schools that Life Education can support and work with, to deliver really important, respectful relationships education, programs that build children’s resilience, their confidence and their skills, so that if they’re faced with a situation, they know how to handle it.

Jay: Now 1,300 people we’ve been told, have registered so far. If there’s mum, dad, kids listening to the radio at the moment and going, how can we get involved? How do we do that Michael?

Michael Fawsitt: It’s really easy, just go to healthyharoldhundred.org.au it takes a few minutes to sign up and get active. It’s great to get healthy of course. So, I think we could all do with five Ks a day to keep fit and healthy. And it’s a great way to raise funds, to help Life Education’s work with kids.

Jay: What a great initiative.

Dave: Yeah, and it’s good to see the van is back in Mackay and that you guys have got three permanent staff based in Mackay supporting the schools and everything too.

Michael Fawsitt: Yeah. We’ve never had a stronger presence in Mackay. It’s fantastic. More than 12 and a half thousand children in the Mackay region benefitting from the Life Education program already and we want to reach more.

Jay: Absolutely, and I still love Healthy Harold. I remember like he must be, I don’t want to give his age away. He must be, he must be nudging a higher age though. Because I remember him when I was in school and that was not yesterday.

Michael Fawsitt: Yeah. Healthy Harold has this remarkable ability to stay young, you know?

Jay: I wish I had that same thing.

Dave: We can’t see the wrinkles on him. That’s for sure!

Jay: He looks pretty good. We’ve got our Triple M mascot is also a giraffe and I think if our giraffe took on Healthy Harold, Healthy Harold would hands down, our giraffe would not win hands down. Look, it’s an important thing to talk about bullying. Certainly doesn’t discriminate against any child, like I think at one stage we’re all gonna come up against that. So these are some great tools to help your kids cope with that day.

Dave: Look, Michael mate. Thank you very much for joining us. That website again is…

Michael Fawsitt: healthyharoldhundred.org.au

Jay: It’s an important thing to talk about this morning, CEO of Life Education Queensland, Michael Fawsitt. Thanks for joining us this morning, mate. Really appreciate your time. Thank you.

Michael Fawsitt: Thanks guys.

30 April 2021

Bilko & Ali for Breakfast, Zinc 96.1

Ali: This world has some wonderful humans. And one of those wonderful humans is CEO of Life Education Queensland, Michael Fawsitt. And he joins us right now. Good morning, Michael.

Michael Fawsitt: Oh, those are lovely words. Thank you very much.

Bilko: We mean every single bit of it.

Ali: Yes, we do. I would love for you to tell everyone about Healthy Harold Hundred, which is kicking off this Wednesday coming.

Michael Fawsitt: Well more than 1.2 million Queenslanders would have remembered Healthy Harold from their school days. And now this is his biggest challenge, Healthy Harold, challenging Queenslanders to walk, run, or ride a hundred kilometres over 20 days, which starts next Wednesday, the 5th of May. And that’s all to raise funds to help Life Education, get our program into more schools to help address the problem of bullying, which affects one in four children.

Ali: That is just staggering to me when I read that yesterday, I just can’t believe that it’s so enormous. Those numbers one in four.

Michael Fawsitt: Yeah. So these days, bullying is, is worse for many children because so you’re bullied, not just in the school yard but you’re bullied in your bedroom online. It’s much more difficult to escape. And I think a lot of that bullying behaviour is worse online because what a bully might say behind a screen is often what they would never dare say face to face. So it’s a huge issue. It affects children’s mental health, affects their performance at school. Some kids just struggle to get through the day. And so this is so important that we, we all get behind this campaign and help to raise funds so that we can teach more kids, the resilience and the confidence and the respect to have positive relationships.

Bilko: I’m surprised Michael there’s not government funding for this. And it’s a model that’s been around for so long, I even remember it from my childhood, but you still need more dosh.

Michael Fawsitt: Yes, we do the need’s so great. And this is where we’re getting more and more demand from schools. As many people know, Life Education delivers nutrition education, education around alcohol and smoking, but it’s this issue of respectful relationships and bullying and violence as well that’s getting more and more attention and we’re getting so much demand from schools programs.

Ali: Michael, would it be fair to say that now with cyber bullying, that the numbers are potentially even higher than that, because a lot of our kids won’t necessarily tell us about some of the awful things that maybe other kids have sent to them?

Michael Fawsitt: Yeah, we don’t truly know the real number. And I think for the children, it’s really important to be able to seek help if they need it. First of all, they have the resilience to deal with situations where they can, but where they can’t, to have the courage and the confidence to be able to go to a trusted adult and share their concerns so that we can do something about it.

Ali: I love initiatives like this Bilko, because it just it’s potential to start the conversation with kids I think, and, and this what you have going on next week, Healthy Harold Hundred, where you’re asking people to either run, walk or ride a hundred kilometres. Is that right? Michael?

Michael Fawsitt: Yeah. It’s 5Ks a day for 20 days and it starts next Wednesday. And I think we could all do with that. It’s going to help us all get fit and healthy and make the difference as well. So it’s healthyharoldhundred.org.au.

Ali: Okay. And so our people, this is a fundraiser as well, obviously. So people are putting it out on their Facebook and asking for donations.

Michael Fawsitt: Yes. We’ve had almost 1,500 people sign up, about a hundred people on the Sunshine Coast now. So, this is a great time now the few weeks to go to jump on board and we want to get over 2,000 participants. And we’ve got a goal to raise over $150,000, which…

Bilko: I think you’ll get there. You guys were big in Ocsober. That was always something that me and a bunch of mates always used to try and achieve but now you’re going on the fitness tack, which is, which is even better. I think this is more achievable than giving up you know, the amber cordial.

Michael Fawsitt: Yeah, I think for some of us giving up alcohol for a month is a tougher ask than doing 5Ks a day.

Ali: Well, we think it’s absolutely wonderful and we applaud you. And I think this initiative is a great way to open the conversation with your kids. I mean, it may be happening to your own children and you don’t even realise so CEO of Life Education Queensland, Michael Fawsitt, we thank you so much for your time today.

Michael Fawsitt: Thanks so much guys.

29 April 2021

Queensland Times

Ipswich Eagles Aussie rules player Rebecca McMahon is swapping the footy boots for the sneakers in an effort to raise funds for a state anti-bullying campaign.

The talented sportswoman and mother of two girls is joining a quartet of ladies who will tackle Life Education’s Healthy Harold Hundred, which invites Queenslanders to walk, run or ride 100km from May 5-24.

Ms McMahon said it was a great opportunity to give something back to her community.

Rebecca McMahon and some of her Ipswich Eagles teammates are taking part in the Healthy Harold Hundred to raise awareness of bullying.

“I have teenagers in high school and all the other girls that are involved with me have kids, and bullying is so prevalent now in schools and online,” she said.

“I think that trying to bring awareness to it is super important.”

Ms McMahon has raised $100 out of a $500 goal and said she wants to get other Ipswich residents involved.

“I think we can show people that you can help people by going for a walk and not just trying to raise money. Showing people that making awareness is not hard,” she said.

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said more than 1000 people had registered so far.

“Sadly, one in four Aussie kids is affected by bullying, one in five children experiences cyber-bullying, and more than a million children are affected by domestic violence,” he said.

“We need to teach children from a young age about the importance of respect, empathy, and healthy relationships.

“Those are vital skills to help prevent bullying as children are growing up and they help break the cycle of future violence.”

Life Education sends mobile classrooms to schools, teaching children about a healthier lifestyle, with 9,500 Ipswich children participating in 2020.

Thirteen Ipswich schools will be visited by the Life Education mobile classrooms in the third and fourth terms, including St Augustine’s College, Westside Christian College and Chatswood Hills State School.

Mr Fawsitt said that the program promotes better physical health and draws more attention to the social and emotional wellbeing of children.

“That’s why it’s important to support young people throughout their school years to build and maintain healthy and respectful relationships and positive mental health, this is vital to reducing bullying and violence in the future,” Mr Fawsitt said.

The Healthy Harold Hundred is open for all ages with no registration cost.

Click here for more details.

22 April 2021

Bundaberg Today

Bundaberg youngster Rylann Hoopert, 8, is set for the Life Education Queensland Healthy Harold Hundred.

Bundaberg’s Rylann Hoopert is a youngster on a mission to spread the message that kindness is cool, and bullying is not on.

The eight-year-old is lacing up his runners to take part in Life Education Queensland’s new fundraising challenge – the Healthy Harold Hundred to help stamp out bullying.

The event, open to Queenslanders of all ages, challenges participants to walk, run or ride 100 kilometres in 20 days, from between May 5 and 24 to raise important funds for Life Education Queensland’s work in schools including the charity’s respectful relationships programs.

Rylann is one of almost 1000 Queenslanders who have already signed up for the challenge and he’s excited to be making a difference.

“One thing I do not like is people bullying,” he said.

“I want people to always be thinking about kindness and being kind towards others.

“I’m hoping that by participating in this event, it will just show people how much I really care about putting an end to all types of bullying.”

Rylann, a grade three student at Kalkie State School, plans to clock his 100 kilometres by running every afternoon after school, taking walks and scooter rides with his family, and even running during his school lunch breaks.

He has already topped his fundraising goal, and mum Sky said he’s aiming to go even higher during the Healthy Harold Hundred challenge.

“Everyone is just so proud of him, and very supportive,” Sky said.

“I’ve spoken to Rylann a lot about how things were when I was a child going to school, and how so many of my friends and family members experienced some type of bullying.

“I’m really proud of him and support that he wants to help make a change for his generation and for everyone that he’s going to school with.”

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt praised Rylann’s efforts, saying the response to the Healthy Harold Hundred campaign had been amazing.

“It’s terrific to see Rylann’s commitment and passion to the cause and his desire to promote kindness,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“We’re urging Queenslanders to get behind the Healthy Harold Hundred campaign to help stamp out bullying and violence in our community.

“At Life Education, we’re working with schools to help educate and empower our next generation of young people to build and maintain positive healthy and respectful relationships. The challenge is a great way for parents and their children to get physically active and make a difference in the lives of Queensland children.”

For motivated young Rylann, the start of the Healthy Harold Hundred cannot come soon enough.

“I really want to be a good role model. It’s great to know that Healthy Harold and Life Education can visit more schools thanks to the fundraising, and I think it would be great if other people sign up to take part in the Healthy Harold Hundred too,” he said.

Registration for Life Education Queensland’s Healthy Harold Hundred event is free.

To find out more about the cause click here.

21 April 2021

Central Queensland News

Central Queenslanders are urged to lace up their running shoes to run 100km for Life Education Queensland’s new fundraising challenge – the Healthy Harold Hundred to help stamp out bullying.

The Healthy Harold Hundred challenges people of all ages to walk, run or ride 5km a day, for 20 days, to help raise funds for Life Education Queensland’s respectful relationships in-school programs.

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said the initial response to the charity’s new Healthy Harold Hundred campaign had been phenomenal with 1000 people registering so far.

“It’s fantastic that so many people have pledged their support because it’s never been more important to shine the spotlight on the issue of bullying and respect,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Sadly, one in four Aussie kids is affected by bullying, one in five children experiences cyber-bullying, and more than a million children are affected by domestic violence.

“We need to teach children from a young age about the importance of respect, empathy, and healthy relationships.

“Those are vital skills to help prevent bullying as children are growing up and they help break the cycle of future violence.”

Healthy Harold on a previous visit to Gladstone South State School. Photo Kirsten Cunningham / The Observer

Healthy Harold on a previous visit to Gladstone South State School. Photo Kirsten Cunningham / The Observer

Life Education works in more than 800 schools and preschools across the state via its 20 mobile learning classrooms, with educators covering everything from nutrition and cybersafety to the harms of drugs and alcohol.

More than 10,000 children across Central Queensland participated in the Life Education program in the past year.

“Our program is all about empowering children to make safe and healthy choices not just for their physical health, but for their social and emotional wellbeing as well,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“That’s why it’s important to support young people throughout their school years to build and maintain healthy and respectful relationships and positive mental health.

“This is vital to reducing bullying and violence in the future.”

Time is running out to register for free, for the Healthy Harold Hundred from May 5, to May 24.

Fundraising updates and tips, email templates, social media tiles and inspiring videos, plus the chance to interact with donors is all on the Healthy Harold Hundred website.

Participants who raise $25 within 48 hours of registering will be mailed a free Healthy Harold retro headband.

“Whether you’re a family, work team, or an individual, and whether you choose to do 100, 200 or even 300ks, your support is going to make a huge difference and boost our capacity to take our program where it’s needed most,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“We’ve been getting feedback from people who have already registered that they’re loving the lead up to the campaign and the chance to get fitter with friends while also knowing that the funds they’re raising will make a difference in the lives of Queensland children.”

Register for Life Education Queensland’s Healthy Harold Hundred here.

21 April 2021

9 News Gold Coast

20 April 2021

The North West Star, Redland City Bulletin, Mackay Daily Mercury, Gladstone Observer, Rockhampton Bulletin, and Central Queensland.

15 April 2021

The Courier Mail, Cairns Post, Townsville Bulletin, The Chronicle and News Mail

Young Rylann to lace up the running shoes to help stamp out bullying

Bundaberg youngster Rylann Hoopert, 8, is set for the Life Education Queensland Healthy Harold Hundred.

Bundaberg’s Rylann Hoopert is a youngster on a mission to spread the message that kindness is cool, and bullying is not on.

The eight-year-old is lacing up his runners to take part in Life Education Queensland’s new fundraising challenge – the Healthy Harold Hundred to help stamp out bullying.

The event, open to Queenslanders of all ages, challenges participants to walk, run or ride 100 kilometres in 20 days, from between May 5 and 24 to raise important funds for Life Education Queensland’s work in schools including the charity’s respectful relationships programs.

Rylann is one of almost 1000 Queenslanders who have already signed up for the challenge and he’s excited to be making a difference.

“One thing I do not like is people bullying,” he said.

“I want people to always be thinking about kindness and being kind towards others.

“I’m hoping that by participating in this event, it will just show people how much I really care about putting an end to all types of bullying.”

Rylann, a grade three student at Kalkie State School, plans to clock his 100 kilometres by running every afternoon after school, taking walks and scooter rides with his family, and even running during his school lunch breaks.

He has already topped his fundraising goal, and mum Sky said he’s aiming to go even higher during the Healthy Harold Hundred challenge.

“Everyone is just so proud of him, and very supportive,” Sky said.

“I’ve spoken to Rylann a lot about how things were when I was a child going to school, and how so many of my friends and family members experienced some type of bullying.

“I’m really proud of him and support that he wants to help make a change for his generation and for everyone that he’s going to school with.”

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt praised Rylann’s efforts, saying the response to the Healthy Harold Hundred campaign had been amazing.

“It’s terrific to see Rylann’s commitment and passion to the cause and his desire to promote kindness,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“We’re urging Queenslanders to get behind the Healthy Harold Hundred campaign to help stamp out bullying and violence in our community.

“At Life Education, we’re working with schools to help educate and empower our next generation of young people to build and maintain positive healthy and respectful relationships. The challenge is a great way for parents and their children to get physically active and make a difference in the lives of Queensland children.”

For motivated young Rylann, the start of the Healthy Harold Hundred cannot come soon enough.

“I really want to be a good role model. It’s great to know that Healthy Harold and Life Education can visit more schools thanks to the fundraising, and I think it would be great if other people sign up to take part in the Healthy Harold Hundred too,” he said.

Registration for Life Education Queensland’s Healthy Harold Hundred event is free.

To find out more about the cause click here.

26 March 2021

The Bribie Islander

Kate and Lily lace up for the Healthy Harold Hundred

Bribie Island mother and daughter Kate Maroulis and Lily Guy are lacing up their runners to take part in Life Education Queensland’s new fundraising challenge – the Healthy Harold Hundred to help stamp out bullying.

The state-wide event running this May urges Queenslanders to walk, run or ride their way to 100 kilometres in 20 days – that’s 5ks a day.

All funds raised will support the vital work of Life Education Queensland in travelling to schools in all corners of the state to teach respect, empathy, resilience and healthy relationships. These skills help to prevent bullying as kids are growing up, and help to break the cycle of future violence.

With five-year-old daughter Lily starting Prep at St Michael’s College, Caboolture this year, Kate says she strongly supports the anti-bullying message in schools.

“I really hope she doesn’t have to experience bullying. From what I see on social media, there are so many parents talking about bullying at various schools, but thankfully Lily’s school takes a strong stance against bullying,” Kate said.

“I was alarmed to read on the Healthy Harold Hundred website that children who bully others are more likely to abuse their partners later in life. We have to do all we can in schools to break that cycle.”

Kate already does a six-kilometre run every morning and has set an ambitious target of 200 kilometres for her Healthy Harold Hundred challenge with daughter Lily planning to clock up her own K’s by walking the family’s Labrador Sooty after school.

“I remember Healthy Harold and the Life Education experience from when I was at school and it was a wonderful experience,” Kate said.

“I’m excited to be involved in the challenge and Lily is looking forward to taking part as well. She told her teacher, ‘I’m going to be doing a lot of walking to get rid of all the bullies in all the schools!’”

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said the initial response to the new Healthy Harold Hundred campaign had been phenomenal.

“It’s wonderful to see Kate and Lily showing their support by registering for the Healthy Harold Hundred challenge,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Whether you are a family, individual, school or workplace group, there are so many good reasons to take part. Aside from participants getting fitter, funds raised throughout the campaign will directly support Life Education Queensland’s programs that focus on bullying and relationships.”

“These programs are vital because one in four Aussie kids is affected by bullying, one in five children experiences cyberbullying, and more than a million children are affected by domestic violence, so it’s imperative that we reinforce the concept of healthy respectful relationships throughout a child’s entire schooling.”

It’s a message that Kate and Lily are already role-modelling in their local community.

“I’ve always spoken to Lily about being respectful and kind. The most important thing in life is to be kind every day,” Kate says.

“When I pick Lily up from school, I ask her, ‘What’s the kindest thing you did for someone today?’”

To register for Life Education Queensland’s Healthy Harold Hundred and to find out more about the cause go to https://www.healthyharoldhundred.org.au/

25 February 2021

ABC Radio Brisbane

ABC Radio Brisbane host, Rebecca Levingston, interviewed Life Education Queensland CEO, Michael Fawsitt, discussing topics including the importance of teaching children about healthy respectful relationships from a young age.

The discuss in further detail how Life Education Queensland plays a significant role in embedding and reinforcing these concepts through a child’s entire schooling. Listen to the full interview below.

12 February 2021

Cairns Post

11 February 2021

9 News Gold Coast

10 February 2021

7 News Cairns

10 February 2021

9 News Far North Queensland

10 February 2021

WIN News Cairns

25 December 2020

Sunshine Coast Daily

More than 80 students from Prep to Year 8 will grow a new bush tucker habitat at Peregian Beach College after the school won a coveted grant.

The school was one of only three in Queensland awarded the $1000 Life Education and Yates Growing Good Gardens Grant – their successful application chosen from almost 1000 entries across Australia.

The grants program encourages young people to get out into the garden to grow healthy food and other plants and learn healthy habits.

Peregian Beach College students Noah Murray, Year 7, Olivia Tebbutt, Year 2 and Finn Beutel, Year 4 get ready for their bush tucker garden. Picture: Iain Curry

Peregian Beach College impressed the judges with their entry, which included plans for a large garden featuring a range of bird-attracting Australian natives and bush tucker plants such as Midyim Berry, Lemon Scented Myrtle, Currant Bush, Finger Lime and Beach Cherry.

A registered Land for Wildlife property, the school offers students a wildlife gardening elective which provides valuable experience in all aspects of gardening including – planting, fertilising, mulching, watering and weeding.

Passionate environmental educator and college teacher Jenny du Toit said she was excited about the many benefits of the new planting project, to begin next year.

Peregian Beach College students Noah Murray, Year 7, Olivia Tebbutt, Year 2 and Finn Beutel, Year 4. Picture: Iain Curry

“Receiving this grant is what makes it possible for us to continue our wildlife gardening elective next year and beyond,” Ms du Toit said.

“Learning about ‘bush tucker’ generates an understanding of Aboriginal culture. Students also learn about habitat creation and gain an appreciation for our local environment and diversity of bird life.

“With children from Prep to Year 8 involved, our garden program builds positive relationships by fostering friendships and connections between year levels, giving the older students the opportunity to support and mentor younger ones. It’s also a great form of exercise, encouraging children to engage in physical activities outdoors.”

Peregian Beach College teacher Jenny du Toit, Finn Beutel, Year 4, Olivia Tebbutt, Year 2, Noah Murray, Year 7 and Life Education Queensland educator Niki Andrinopoulos. Picture: Iain Curry

Life Education Queensland chief executive Michael Fawsitt congratulated the school on securing the Yates and Life Education Growing Good Gardens grant.

“The Yates gardens grants enable us to extend the Life Education experience from the classroom to the garden, reinforcing important messages from our program about the value of physical activity, positive relationships and nutrition,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Schools often tell us they could not provide opportunities like this without additional funds, so it’s fantastic to be able to help Peregian Beach College extend their wildlife gardening elective to benefit students for many years to come and further enhance the school’s natural environment.”

Dunwich State School and Highlands Christian College were the two other Queensland schools to receive a $1000 Life Education and Yates Growing Good Gardens Grant.

Tracey Challenor is the PR and media manager at Life Education Queensland.

9 December 2020

Redland City Bulletin

PRIMARY students on North Stradbroke Island will learn all about propagating plants and harvesting veggies when they pitch in to build and grow new vegetable gardens at Dunwich State School.

The school won a grant of $1000 through the Yates and Life Education Growing Good Gardens Grants Program, and was one of only three schools in Queensland to be selected.

Their application chosen from almost 1000 entries across Australia.

The grants program encourages young people to get out into the garden to grow healthy food and other plants and learn healthy habits.

Dunwich State School impressed the judges with their entry, which outlined plans for several new vegetable gardens designed to teach children about propagating, harvesting and seed gathering, while also providing healthy produce for the local community.

Acting school principal Tammy Burnett said the gardens grant would be invaluable for students from Prep to Year 6, with the project beginning in 2021.

“As well as building the garden beds, the students will learn which vegetables grow best in the four seasons and the best time to harvest and will take turns doing different garden jobs such as watering, weeding, fertilising and mulching,” Ms Burnett said.

“We are a culturally significant school, and this program helps teach the community how to grow their own food and eat healthy.”

The students already produce an impressive garden crop as part of their school greenhouse and EcoMarine Program, led by school grounds officer Steven Saunders, who teaches children about sustainable planting, bush tucker gardens and propagation.

“As well as potting native and exotic plants for the school gardens, we sell vegetables to the island community, and students also pick veggies and take them home to their families,” Mr Saunders said.

“We also use vegetables from the gardens to make stir-fries, teaching students how to cook healthy, tasty foods.”

Life Education Queensland chief executive Michael Fawsitt congratulated the school on securing the Yates and Life Education Growing Good Gardens grant.

“The Yates gardens grants enable us to extend the Life Education experience from the classroom to the garden, reinforcing important messages from our program about the value of physical activity, positive relationships and nutrition,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“Schools often tell us they could not provide opportunities like this without additional funds, so it’s fantastic to be able to help Dunwich State School extend their vegetable garden program and give students vital experience in managing a sustainable planting project.”

Peregian Beach College and Highlands Christian College were the two other Queensland schools to receive a $1000 Life Education and Yates Growing Good Gardens Grant.

23 October 2020

By Shane Jones – Bundaberg Today

Life Education Queensland says if it wasn’t for community grants, it would struggle to get out to regional areas.

The primary school program, which has been delivered to classrooms through its van and the famous Harold the Giraffe for the past 30 years, will visit 14 schools in the Bundaberg area over the next few weeks.

It follows a $6000 grant from the Gin Gin Community Bank.

This has allowed state schools including Gin Gin, Wallaville, Booyal Central, Maroondan, McIlwraith, Bullyard, Mount Perry, Biggenden, Coalstoun Lakes, Childers, Cordalba, Dallarnil, Givelda, and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Childers, to be involved.

“This ensures that every student gets a vital health education from Gin Gin to Wallaville to Childers,” Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said.

“Support from organisations is so important.

“If we are not reaching those in the regional areas, they are often the ones most in need.”

Mr Fawsitt explained that Life Education Queensland received funding from Queensland Health, with parents also providing some funds to get the program out to schools.

Now it travels to more than 800 preschools and primary schools with additional support from organisations.

“That is delivering a holistic health education program,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“It is something that generations of Queensland children have done.”

He said that over the past few years the program had changed to focus more on mental health and the challenges that social media and online provided.

It’s balanced with a focus on physical health as well.

“We are finding the two are closely linked,” he said.

“Physical health and getting that right remains positive to a mental health balance.”

Image: Educator Ellen Patane with Gin Gin Prep student Jake, Year 6 students and captains Sean and Abbey, and Prep Jasmine, Life Education CEO Michael Fawsitt, Susan Bengtson from Gin Gin Community Bank and Gin Gin State School principal Adam Fritz.

ABC Wide Bay – 13 October 2020

7 August 2020 – PakMag

Looking for a new podcast to keep yourself entertained? Wanting to learn more or gain support on mental health? Well now you can listen, learn and grow all at the same time. The popular charity Life Education Queensland is featuring Hugh van Cuylenburg, the creator of The Resilience Project and host of the popular podcast The Imperfects, on their own Life Education podcast.

The former teacher shares his wisdom on resilience, positive mental health, tools for greater happiness and more.

Listen to the podcast now!

6 August 2020 – ABC coast FM

6 August 2020 – Blank Gold Coast

Just say ‘Healthy Harold’ and most Australians who went to primary school during the last four decades will know you are talking about the country’s most loveable giraffe.

Over its 40-year history, Life Education along with their iconic mascot Healthy Harold has been Australia’s largest provider of specialised health and safety education to schoolaged children.

And now, Life Education has joined forces with TAFE Queensland to bring Harold to the screen via 3D animation thanks to screen and media students from the Coomera creative campus.

As part of their final assessment, eight screen and media students majoring in interactive digital media spent countless hours modelling Harold into a delightful 3D animation.

5 August 2020 – 9 Gold Coast News

5 August 2020 – 7 News Gold Coast

4 June 2020 – Pakmag

Visiting schools in Queensland for 34 years, Healthy Harold is an Australian icon. But COVID-19 brought a stop to face-to-face delivery of the health and safety program in the iconic Healthy Harold vans for the first time in the charity’s history. With thousands of Queensland children now back at school, the program’s educators are heading back to schools state-wide, teaching in the classroom for the time-being instead of the familiar mobile learning centres. But for children who can’t access a visit from Healthy Harold just yet, there’s a new online learning platform – Life Education @ Home. The comprehensive online hub provides many of the much-loved lessons via a program of engaging videos starring educators and Harold. This means children, even in remote parts of the state, can access Life Education from home for free.

Donna Walker volunteering with Eat Up.

3 June 2020 – Queensland Country Life

Healthy food has been delivered to 34 schools across North Queensland in a bid to support families doing it tough and encourage kids to make healthy choices.

Life Education teamed up with Eat up Australia and Sanitarium to deliver 300 boxes of food including Weet-Bix to primary schools in Townsville, Charters Towers and Burdekin.

Life Education’s Donna Walker travels thousands of kilometres each year, taking the charity’s iconic Healthy Harold van to primary schools in north west Queensland so children can learn about making safe and healthy choices.

With her regular teaching schedule disrupted by COVID-19, she last week got behind the wheel of the local Eat Up van to deliver the food.

16 May 2020 – Gold Coast Bulletin

15 May 2020 – Interview with Marnie and Campo on River 94.9 on 15 May 2020.

14 May 2020 – Queensland Times

6 May 2020 – Daily Mercury

1 May 2020

29 April 2020 – 7 News Gold Coast

18 March 2020 – Courier Mail

17 March 2020 – The Observer

8 February 2020 – Redland City Bulletin

On the eve of Safer Internet Day, latest research from leading children’s health promotion charity Life Education has found keeping kids cybersafe is the top concern for Queensland parents.

Source: Redland City Bulletin.

The survey of 2526 parents of school-aged children, conducted by Life Education Queensland throughout 2019, revealed that cybersafety was the number one concern for parents followed by obesity, cyberbullying, smoking and mental health.

Parents were asked to rate their top concerns from a list of eight key issues which also included alcohol, illegal drugs and sexual health.

Life Education Queensland chief executive Michael Fawsitt said the fact that parents ranked cybersafety as a number one concern reflected the challenges many were experiencing when it came to helping children navigate an online world.

“The consistent feedback we receive from parents is that keeping kids safe online is a significant concern, and an area where parents sometimes feel their skills are lacking,” Mr Fawsitt said.

“At Life Education, through our bCyberwise program, we’re able to reach thousands of children each year with important messages on cybersafety, cyber ethics, keeping personal information safe online and strategies on how to handle bullying including cyberbullying.

“This is important, because parents frequently tell us that sometimes children are reluctant to hear health and safety messages at home, so having them reinforced by our experienced program educators, with the help of Healthy Harold, is a fun and informative way to empower kids with the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe.”

The parent survey will continue into 2020 in partnership with Techwell, giving parents the chance to win $4000 in technology prizes when they share feedback on the program via a five-minute survey.

29 January 2020 – Gold Coast Sun

3 December 2019 – Gold Coast Bulletin

A new program being launched in Gold Coast preschools is set to tackle climbing childhood obesity rates.

LAURA NELSON, Gold Coast Bulletin

THE Gold Coast will be one of three cities in Queensland to launch a preschool program to tackle the obesity epidemic.

Life Education Queensland has announced a nutrition education plan for four and five year olds to target rising childhood obesity, overweight trends and junk-food eating.

It will be implemented early next year on the Gold Coast, at Logan and Ipswich before it is rolled out statewide.

Bodhi Brale and educator Sue Orsmond.

The new program encourages healthy eating.

Life Education chief executive Michael Fawsitt said more than 25 per cent of children were obese or overweight and only one per cent met the recommended daily serves of fruit and vegetables.

“According to the most recent Queensland Chief Health Officer’s Report, vegetable consumption in children has dropped by 32 per cent since 2013,” he said.

“We also know that over-consumption of unhealthy food and drinks is contributing to more than a third of total energy intake and contributing to weight gain in some children.

“Habits begin to establish themselves at a young age, so we shouldn’t wait until children are six or seven-years-old to provide education on making healthy food choices.”

Gold Coast Health trauma surgeon Dr Martin Wullschleger, joined Mr Fawsitt and the charity’s mascot, Healthy Harold, to announce the new program at Mermaid Waters Community Kindergarten.

Healthy Harold with Rhook Damiels, Kasper Darrington and Elsa Sung.

Healthy Harold is also helping kids learn to eat healthy and stay active.

Dr Wullschleger said it was vital to start educating children early about making healthy food choices and leading active lifestyles.

“Just like we educate teenagers around the risks, choices and consequences of risky behaviours such as unsafe driving, drugs and drinking, this program will educate young children how to make smart choices when it comes to food and being physically active,” said the Life Education Queensland board director.

Life Education Queensland is the state’s largest provider of preventive health education to schoolchildren. The new nutrition program will be funded by some of the $1.28 million provided to Life Education by Queensland Health.

28 November 2019 – 7 News Gold Coast

9 Gold Coast News

7 November 2019 – Westside News

30 October 2019 – Townsville Bulletin

More than 12 thousand primary and high school children will be visited by the new Life Education mobile learning centre van every year to educate students about health and safety.

ELISABETH SILVESTER, Townsville Bulletin

St Joseph’s the Strand students Kiera Wallace, 11, Estella Smith, 10, and Joseph Smith, 9, pictured with Healthy Harold in front of the new Life Education van. Picture: Shae Beplate.

AFTER more than five years of fundraising, a new hi-tech mobile classroom will hit the road to visit more than 12,000 North Queensland students.

The new Life Education mobile van was officially launched at St Joseph’s Catholic School on The Strand last week with well-known mascot Healthy Harold in attendance to mark the occasion.

Life Education CEO Michael Fawsitt said the new Healthy Harold van was a unique educational experience for students that was “fun, memorable and empowering”.

“The engaging audiovisual component of our modules, 3D technology, Healthy Harold and the popular sparkling stars on the ceiling, are all facets of our program that leave a big impression on children,” he said. “It really is a great long-term investment which will enable the Life Education program to continue to serve the Townsville region for decades to come.”

Life Education Townsville committee president Mark Purvis said the new mobile classroom would reach more than 50 primary schools in the Townsville region to teach students about health and safety.

“The old van had maintenance issues and it was getting difficult to arrange towing on a regular basis,” he said.

“With this new RV-style vehicle, our educator Tim can simply get behind the wheel and drive the mobile learning centre to the school. It also means we can take the program to schools in more remote areas such as Charters Towers.”

28 October 2019 – WIN News Townsville

20 September 2019 – WIN News Central Queensland

20 September 2019 – ABC Radio

30 September 2019 – The Tableander

25 July 2019 – ABC Mt Isa North West

23 July 2019 – The North West Star

Two hundred additional learning sessions for children and pre-schoolers will be added in the North West thanks to a funding boost for Life Education Queensland.

Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt said Centacare North Queensland have allocated a $93,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Communities for Children program to help out 4000 local school kids.

“Thanks to Centacare identifying Life Education as a key community partner, it provides us with exciting scope to grow our program in the north west of the state,” Mr Fawsitt said.

19 July 2019 – Townsville Bulletin

Opinion – by Michael Fawsitt, CEO Life Education Queensland

With so much focus on the harms associated with alcohol and illicit drugs, it’s easy to forget that there’s a drug that continues to kill far more Australians each year than any other. Yes, for all the success we’ve achieved in reducing smoking rates in Australia, its estimated that roughly 18,800 Australians are dying prematurely from tobacco-related diseases each year. According to the World Health Organisation, smoking kills more than seven million people on the planet.

On World No Smoking Day, we can say that Australia has, in many ways, led the way in our approach to reducing smoking rates. But there are warning signs that after decades of success, the decline in smoking has stalled, with an estimated 2.4 million Australians still smoking.

This article appeared in the Courier Mail, 30 May 2019.

A HEALTH education service that regularly visits local schools has supported a junk food advertising ban, urging parents to make healthy choices for their child’s lunchbox as term two begins.

Life Education Queensland – the organisation behind well-known health mascot Healthy Harold – has applauded the state government’s move to ban junk food advertising on publicly-owned sites.

The ban, announced on Sunday, will see advertisements for foods deemed unhealthy phased out at government-owned outdoor advertising spaces including billboards and public transport.

Foods will be ruled in or out based on their salt, sugar and fat content, Health Minister Steven Miles said.

Head of Life Education Queensland Michael Fawsitt said one quarter of Queensland children were overweight or obese and the growth of junk food advertising should be a concern to the whole community.

Article published by the Redland City Bulletin on 23 April 2019.

IT’S been 40 years since the late Ted Noffs founded Life Education in a bid to break the cycle of youth drug abuse.

Last year, almost a quarter of a million Queensland students in 850 schools received important health information, with the help of the organisation’s mascot, Healthy Harold.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has paid tribute to Life Education Queensland’s remarkable work in promoting children’s health and wellbeing at a celebration event marking 40 years of the charity at Queensland Parliament.

“The recent deaths of several young Australians who took drugs at music festivals are tragic reminders of the dangers that are out there, but it’s reassuring for parents that Life Education is out there too, going from school to school, mobile classrooms, talking to kids about staying safe around drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, bullying, as well as eating well and keeping active,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

This article appeared in the Morning Bulletin on 3 April 2019.

Opinion – by Michael Fawsitt, CEO Life Education Queensland

It’s time to put opinions and prejudices aside and actually have a proper, well-structured trial to gauge whether pill testing at festivals actually does provide any benefit to reducing the harms of illegal drugs.

There is a rush to judgment in some quarters which is understandable because this is an emotional issue, no doubt about it. The effects of illegal drugs can be devastating, and the recent deaths of two young Australians has put the issue of pill testing back into the spotlight. As the CEO of a charity dedicated to educating young people about the harms of both legal and illegal drugs, and as the parent of two young Australians; one at University and the other having just completed High School, I share the same concerns as millions of Aussie parents. The safety of our young people is paramount.

Which is why, rather than trying to shut down debate on contentious issues like pill testing, we need to better understand the approach and evaluate whether it could, in fact, save lives.

This article was published in the Brisbane Times on 10 January 2019.

Noosa News – 7 November 2018

OK, let’s talk about the giraffe in the room…

Healthy Harold, the giraffe synonymous with the Life Education van and program recently made his annual visit to Tewantin State School.

Life Education began 39 years ago and provides school children with health and drug education, helping more than 700,000 young Australians make healthy and safe choices each year. It teaches children ways to keep their bodies healthy and to equip them with the skills to make appropriate choices and a way of learning to stay secure in potentially unsafe situations.

The program is now seen as an essential component of every child’s education.

North West Star – 18 April 2018

Melissa North

With a recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare survey showing a higher number of Indigenous Australians using illicit drugs and exhibiting higher levels of alcohol intake than their non-Indigenous counterparts, Sergeant Melissa Gilbert from Doomadgee in Queensland’s Gulf region, has decided to enlist the help of local leading health education provider Life Education Queensland, to combat the threat of drugs and alcohol amongst the youth in her local community.