If anyone truly understands and appreciates the inspirational impact of the Shining Stars program it is Grace Fava.
“I cannot stress the importance of this program; the positive impact it has on the students involved and the awareness it spreads across the community,’’ says Ms Fava, the founder and CEO of Autism Advisory and Support Service.
But Ms Fava also speaks highly of Shining Stars as the mother of two sons who are on the autism spectrum.
Shining Stars is a program that has been run through the Department of Education for many years and offers a platform for students with various intellectual and physical disabilities to show their capacity to learn, showcase their skills and passions and be their true selves.
Through the mediums of song and dance they transform on stage to shine like the stars they truly are – Shining Stars.
Now the inaugural Shining Stars student showcase featuring a visual arts exhibition, dance, drama and music performances is coming to Macarthur.
The showcase will be held at the Campbelltown Arts Centre this Thursday, October 25.
It will start at 11am with the visual art exhibition and refreshments to be followed by the performances from 12 noon.
Students from almost 30 schools across the Sydney metropolitan area, including Macarthur and South West Sydney, will be taking part in the performances.
They include Airds High School, Bankstown Public School, Cecil Hills High School, Holroyd High School, JJ Cahill Memorial High School, Kogarah High School, Sarah Redfern High School, Wattle Grove Public School and Wentworth Point Public School.
Shining Stars showcases offer the public the chance to better understand that different is not bad.
The current trend is to educate, accept and be flexible to accommodate everyone and Shining Stars plays its part in that.
