Nicole Dalla Vecchia, the school’s Curriculum Leader Health & Physical Education said the school was passionate about changing the perception that HPE is just about “running around with a ball”.

“Health and Physical Education (HPE) is so much more than that,” Ms Dalla Vecchia said.

“It is a subject that fosters the health and wellbeing of students, not just for today, but for the rest of their lives.”

On September 14, the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation held the annual National Health and Physical Education Day.

Ms Dalla Vecchia said the event raised awareness of the value of HPE in the Australian Curriculum, and highlight the important role that it plays within our schools, and wider community.

“Good Shepherd Catholic College is extremely passionate about raising awareness of HPE within our school and community,” she said. 

To celebrate, the school ran activities throughout the day, including a Healthy Food Cafe, HPE Kahoot, Table Tennis and Basketball Tournament and a 1minute Rower/Bike ‘Power Challenge’.

“All of these activities seek to encourage students to participate in physical activity and make healthy lifestyle choices,” she said.

The reality is that almost two in three Australian adults (63%) and one in four Australian children (25%) are overweight or obese.

Not only that, but one in five Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year, and suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24.

Ms Dalla Vecchia said HPE taught students how to avoid becoming a statistic.

“We aim to encourage physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual wellbeing and teach students how to prevent lifestyle diseases such as obesity, CVD and mental health/suicide,” she said. “We also teach students about alcohol and drug abuse, water and cyber safety, relationships and sexual health.”

“It really is a subject for life and should not be taken for granted.”