HomeTime for a name change
Refilling water bottles at the Serpentine Chalet Dam camp on the Larapinta, I started chatting with a young fellow who had arrived at the tank just before me. Well spoken and gregarious, he was inquisitive about my trail experience.
The same age as my daughter, he was with a group of 10-15 teenagers camped not far from the tank. Apparently walking a few legs of the Larapinta is a holiday activity offered by their school. Fantastic opportunity, so naturally I inquired "What school, and where?".
"St Kevin's, in Melbourne", came the reply.
"Ah", I said.
"Ok", I said.
There is zero reason for a born-and-bred Queenslander like me to know anything about Melbourne schools. And I don't. Except for one. St Kevin's.
"Right", I said.
If you want to know what I know about St Kevin's you can google it yourself. Suffice to say the school has been the recipient of national media attention over the past few years. Not the good sort.
I immediately felt bad for the kid.
It didn't seem right that he should meet some random bloke:
- from a completely different part of the country,
- at a remote camp in the Northern Territory,
- with an immediate negative predisposition.
It's not baggage a youngster should have to carry.
If I were running this school it would have had a complete branding makeover by now. "St Kevin's" as a name would have been ditched for certain. Easy decision. After all, who the fuck names their school after a Minion anyway?
On the plus side, if they are tied to the whole animated character thing, they have two easy options available right off the bat.
St Stuart's, and St Bob's both have a nice ring to them.
We chatted for a bit and wished each other luck for the rest of our respective adventures. I hope he had an awesome experience on the Larapinta. Judging by his positive nature I'm confident he would have.
As for his school. I don't know how well founded all their bad press is. If it is justified I hope they have taken a long hard look at themselves. Regardless, they should engage some PR help and lose the name. No kid should have to wear that albatross around their neck.
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