Year 9 boys were privileged to welcome Indigenous author Boori Monty Pryor to Newington College recently.

Mr Pryor – who, as well as writing several books, won a silver medal for Australia for basketball in the Masters’ Games and in 2012 was Australia’s first Children’s Laureate – spoke to the boys about growing up at a time when his parents couldn’t vote and weren’t considered citizens, and his colourful experiences at school.

He told our boys to value their teachers because they would help light a flame that could shape the rest of their lives.

Hamish Thompson (9/ME) and Martin Duong (9/LE) describe the impact of his visit below.

“Boori Monty Pryor is an Aboriginal man raised on Palm Island. Monty was an amazing and entertaining speaker and really knew how to make boys our age laugh.

“He talked to us about his childhood, dealing with prejudice against Aboriginal people, and told stories about how he dealt with bullying growing up with dark skin in an all-white boys school. He also talked about his teachers and his experiences growing up into an adult.

“Despite the horrors he and his family faced, he still talked enthusiastically, joking the whole way.

“Our year group learnt many things as he talked about his experiences and actually hearing someone’s experiences definitely helped us understand and empathise more about what happened to the Stolen Generations.”