This week, West Australia’s 98five Breakfast show with Kirste and Morro parked their mobile studio on the grounds of the picturesque Grovelands Primary School for the Station’s first fortnightly Free Coffee Friday of the year.
 
The school is 5km from the Mt Nasura Range located in The City of Armadale.
 
The team caught up Year 1 and 2 teacher Brett Whiskin who has been inspiring his students to take up computer coding, YouthCARE chaplain Kim Scaddan and Aboriginal and Torres Straight education officer Michelle Ninyette who has been keeping students feed every day with her breakfast club – including some kids close to her.
 
“My children have come through this school and now my grandchildren are here,” Ms Ninyette said. “Every morning we have breakfast club with volunteers from staff. We have a menu which is usually baked beans, spaghetti, toast, vegemite and if you’re lucky, on a Tuesday, you’ll score sausages and eggs with Mrs Delaney.”
 
With breakfast lovers extending far and wide, the club has continued to grow over the years.
 
“Two years ago we had a big breakfast which we opened up for the parents of the students and their extended family, and then last year we thought we’d open it up to the wider community – businesses, the fire department, community health, the local MP, YouthCARE – anyone we could get to come along and we had over 300 people.”
 
School Principal Mark Bradshaw championed the school’s ‘You Can Do It’ program — an initiative that develops student’s social and emotional capabilities.
 
“It’s a great community, I’ve been here two and a half years and our focus is on engaging community,” Mr Bradshaw said.
 
“You have to put aside the myths (of Armadale)…there are things that happen here and other places that aren’t good but when you meet people face-to-face and deal with them on a daily basis, and meet the young people in particular, in my experience, young people are the same everywhere. Yes, there’s different socio-economic (issues). They need adults to show them the way – good, fair-minded, reasonable adults that listen and care about them.
 
“The strength of this school community with its staff has been historical, they’ve always cared deeply for this school. It’s in the heart but it’s also strategic as well.”
 
For a different kind of breakfast club, teachers and parents were able to indulge in free coffee and donuts thanks to 98five friend, ice cream van man, Paul.
  
Schools which would like to nominate to take part in Free Coffee Friday broadcasts can contact the station via www.98five.com.