Melody saves the day!

With a special request from Ms Gilligan for the Year 9/10 Japanese elective students to collaborate with Shimomura sensei on a piece of artwork using the school motto in Japanese, we faced a challenge.

Where to source a very large brush for very large calligraphy?

At that point Shimomura sensei wondered out loud if we could possibly get some horse hair…

“Let’s find out!” Kumashiro sensei declared, and made a call to Mrs Palermo in Animal Husbandry.

Year 10 Animal Husbandry and Marine Studies student Alyssa Haremza (right) kindly trimmed Shetland Pony Melody’s tail hair to contribute to the cause, and so with the addition of a stick and a rubber band, we had ourselves a most magnificent and unique brush!

The first few attempts were challenging, as Shimomura sensei carefully adjusted the shape and length of the brush. Eventually a result that was deemed satisfactory was achieved!

Taking a sample of the artwork she helped to produce (along with her tail hair brush), Shimomura sensei and Kumashiro sensei visited Melody later that day to express their gratitude for her contribution.

Mrs Belinda Kumashiro - Japanese Teacher