AN entire school community stood this week in solidarity for the family of a little girl, gone too soon.

Modern Media: Advertise with News Of The Area and you get your ad in 1) in Print, 2) on the News Website (like this ad), and 3) on our Social Media news site. A much more efficient way to advertise. Reach a HUGE audience for a LOW price TODAY! Call us on 02 4983 2134. Or media@newsofthearea.com.au
Or CLICK FOR ADVERT QUOTE

Irrawang Public School teacher, Miss Twyford, is the Nan to a very special little girl named Ivyanna, who lost her life in April 2018 to brain cancer.

She was just fifteen months old.

The staff, students and whole school community at Irrawang Public School have shared and followed each step of Ivyanna’s short, but powerful and impacting life, and wanted to do something special to honour her memory.

Safe in the knowledge that the school could ‘give it a go’ and return any unsold beanies, the school order 100 beanies from the Mark Hughes Foundation ‘Beanies for Brain Cancer’ and began fundraising.

The school ended up well and truly exceeding their original plans, selling out on beanies with a grand total of well over 500 sold.

The school motto ‘We play our part” was certainly personified by the students and staff with their efforts to fundraise.

Irrawang Public School Principal, Mrs Stacy Mathieson, told News Of The Area, “Our school motto has truly shone through and I could not be any more proud of all of us than I am today.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to say how immensely delighted on how we, the staff, the students, our families and the community have come together to support this family, along with the Mark Hughes Foundation.”

“We have been able to provide some positive in an otherwise tragic situation,” she said.

Mark Hughes attended the special school assembly in person to have the school’s total presented to the foundation, during which the entire student body sat respectfully and listened to Miss Twyford speak about Ivyanna on behalf of her son Ethan, Ivyanna’s father, and daughter Jaidyn, Ivyanna’s Aunty.

Miss Twyford presented a slideshow for the audience, with a moving pictorial and video tribute to a little girl who made such a significant impact on this world in such a heartbreakingly short time.

Along with cupcake and tattoo sales, and gold coin donations from students, the school was ecstatic to present a cheque for $8,777.00 on behalf of Ivyanna to Mark Hughes.

Well done Irrawang Public School.

By Rachael VAUGHAN