From term four this year Nuriootpa High School will introduce a new school hat, which, from 2027 will become a compulsory uniform requirement in terms one and four when outside during break time or physical education lessons. The selected hat style is a result of a consultative process involving students, staff and Governing Council, with the brim print designed collaboratively by NHS First Nations students.

Aboriginal Secondary Education Transition Officer, Brooke Klose, coordinated the artwork design process and supported the participating First Nations students in developing their ideas and translating them to a digital format.

“We explored the symbols that were popping up across multiple [student’s] designs and then talked about technique because line work can be done in so many different ways,” explained Brooke.

The resulting artwork is small but powerful way to support connection to culture and community, and to foster cultural understanding and inclusion. Utilising each of the school’s house colours, the symbols reflect the significance of Nuriootpa as a meeting place.

“The symbols are meeting places because Nuriootpa means meeting place, and we coloured them with each different school house colour, because each house team is like a different meeting place,” explained Year 7 First Nations student, Alice.

To find out more about the hat artwork design process and other First Nations initiatives at Nuriootpa High School, listen to episode nine of the Agency Now podcast.