The students will be travelling to Mannar in northern Sri Lanka to work in around 10 primary schools run by the De La Salle Brothers.

This is the third time James Sheahan Catholic High School has taken a group to Sri Lanka and the second time students have been given the opportunity to participate.

Student Jess McLean said they are hoping to teach the primary school students lessons in literature, hygiene, music and sports and work on the school’s painting projects.

“We will be teaching varied levels of English but we’ll try and use as much English as they can understand,” she said. 

Another year 11 student, Katherine Howarth, said the lessons they have prepared for the students are very much Australian-themed.

“We’ve learnt the moves to The Nutbush and are going to teach them,” Miss Howarth said.

The 15 students will have the opportunity to experience work being done with poor and underprivileged in the Sri Lankan capital city, including visiting a vocational training centre for disadvantaged young women.

The trip will also include a visit to an elephant reserve in Galle in the country’s south. 

Teachers Amy Coad, Lynelle Maguire and Peter Meers will be accompanying the students on the mission trip.

Peter Meers said the community had put over $7000 towards the project but all the funds will be going directly to the Sri Lankan De La Salle schools.

“The students have fully funded their own expenses for accommodation and travel,” he said.

The students said some of them have had to get part-time jobs and have been asking around the community for any paid help that needs to be completed.

Miss McLean said they are all very grateful for the community support.

“The donations given from the community have helped to buy school supplies to give to the Sri Lankan schools who are more in need than us,” she said.