Notre Dame students sending in donations

“We usually do barbecues, get-togethers, assemblies, but all of that was a no-go (because of) COVID-19,” she said.

This time around, it was the students who banded together and came up with the idea of supporting people coming out of lockdown, after a period of heightened reflection during remote learning.

“We came back and I think the kids had a really good sense of the needs of the community,” Ms Hamilton said.

“They'd suddenly been at home and been exposed to the difficulties remote learning was presenting to their families — but also to the wider community.”

After lots of brainstorming, the year eight students came up with the idea of doing a collection for St Vinnies.

Donations poured in from juniors and seniors as soon as face-to-face learning resumed at the start of term four.

“We've received all sorts of goodies, we've gotten new products, particularly toiletries . . . but we've also gotten traditional donations of secondhand goods like books, handbags, clothing and food,” Ms Hamilton said.

Ms Hamilton said it was fantastic to have seen the project come to fruition, and for the donations to have gone to a good home.

“These items are going to be used by people who need them,” she said.

Year eight student Iliada Bramich helped reach out to St Vinnies and organise the donations from students.

Lockdown made Iliada appreciate what she had — but it also made her determined to give back to her community.

“I'm grateful for what I have and I feel that a lot of people don't have the same sort of things that I do,” she said.

Iliada was overwhelmed by the reception from the school.

“I didn't think that we would get this much stuff,” she said.

“So I'm really happy with how many people got on board with this idea.”

But seeing the program come to an end had been bittersweet.

“It's a bit hard, it's a bit sad because it's ending and we don't get to do it anymore,” Iliada said.

“But I'm grateful that we've got this much and it's going to people that need it."