Inspiring Creativity and Safety at St Joseph’s Primary School, South Murwillumbah

Students at St Joseph's Primary School, South Murwillumbah, combined creativity and road safety awareness by crafting a bike safety song and music video through the Wellbeing through Music initiative, showcasing their talent and teamwork. (28 November 2024)

The Wellbeing through Music initiative by the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) is transforming student engagement through the power of creativity. This dynamic program, which fuses music, songwriting, drama, and art, is designed to foster a school culture where joy and imagination take centre stage.

In Term 3, the initiative brought its magic to St Joseph’s Primary School, South Murwillumbah, with a special focus on bike safety. Supported by Transport NSW and led by ARIA-nominated songwriter and educator CJ Shaw alongside producer Matthew Storen (Mr Motion), the entire school community united to create a song and music video that conveyed vital bike safety messages.

One of the standout moments was Stage 2 students participating in a hands-on songwriting workshop, where they penned powerful lyrics emphasising the importance of wearing helmets and staying safe on bikes. The creativity didn’t stop there—students from all year levels lent their voices to the project, incorporating beatboxing and rapping to bring the track to life with a professionally produced music video.

The journey reached its crescendo with the unveiling of the music video and soundtrack as staff, students and parents gathered for the official launch. The students were filled with pride as they watched their hard work come to fruition, celebrating their talents and their collective contribution to promoting safety.

 ‘The journey to develop this amazing song and film clip brought so much joy to our school community. The students were so engaged and excited from start to finish, and observing the face of every child during the ‘Safe-T on the B.I.K.E’ Song launch exemplified pure delight and pride in their song,’ said Principal Jason Clarke.

‘This initiative has made a difference in our house. My daughter has been teaching the song to her younger sister while she has been learning to ride her bike,’ said Kindergarten parent Erin. 

The resources developed through the project will be shared with primary schools across the Diocese, extending its impact beyond the St Joseph’s community to promote bike safety. This memorable experience highlighted the transformative power of music while emphasising the importance of safety, creativity, and collaboration in young learners’ lives.

You can watch the full video below.