Together We Are Better

Year 3/4 students from St Mary's Primary School, Bowraville, were named runners-up in the 2025 Harmony Day Songwriting Competition for their original song promoting unity and inclusion, showcasing creativity, collaboration, and the power of young voices. (26 June 2025)

The spirit of creativity and collaboration was on full display at St Mary’s Primary School, Bowraville, as students from the Year 3/4 Dunggirrbiin class were recently named runners-up in the 2025 Harmony Day Songwriting Competition, a national contest celebrating cultural unity and diversity.

The competition, run by social initiative Moving Forward Together, invited students from schools across Australia to submit an original two-minute song reflecting the theme: ‘Harmony – We All Have A Role To Play.’

At St Mary’s, Year 3/4 Dunggirrbiin teacher Madelyn Spencer saw this as a unique opportunity for her students to explore the meaning of Harmony Day and contribute their voices to an important national conversation. Dunggirrbiin class worked collaboratively to write lyrics that captured the spirit of inclusivity and belonging, drawing on their own experiences and classroom discussions.

‘Our classroom became a hive of creativity,’ said Madelyn. ‘The students poured their hearts into writing lyrics that reflected the values of kindness, fairness, and unity. We even held lyric-writing workshops where each child brought their own voice to the project.’

The final product, a song titled ‘Together We Are Better,’ was both a classroom anthem and a powerful message for the broader community. With lines like ‘We all have a role to play, every single day… no matter who you are, we all belong,’ the song resonated strongly with the competition judges.

Students experimented with digital tools and artificial intelligence to record and produce the track, even creating a version with their own voices. 

The class’s efforts were recognised at a national level, with the school placing second overall, a proud achievement for the small regional community. Miss Spencer represented the school and accepted the award on behalf of her students at a special ceremony at NSW Parliament House, presented by the Minister for Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper.

St Mary’s students proved that when young voices are given a platform, they have powerful stories to tell, stories of hope, harmony, and the belief that together, we are better.