For the past 13 years, Year 12 students at Mudgee High School have turned the idea of muck up day on its head.
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Instead of pulling pranks and using the day to cause as much trouble as possible, MHS students have used the day to change perceptions of young people within the local community - including changing the name to Rainbow Day.
Each year, Year 12 students raise funds for a deserving local or national charity, providing a positive spin on a day thathas been filled with stories of vandalism and troublemaking from other schools across the country for decades.
The day normally manages to raise over $10,000 through donations from members of the local community, adding to end of year totals that have reached past $20,000, and has become an integral part of the school community.
It is a testament to the young people of our community that instead of ruining their reputations and standing with their family and the local community on the last day of school, Mudgee High School has chosen to make their last day count for something positive.
From roadblock collections, to a school fete, end of term concert, and collecting money at events across the region thoughout the year, Year 12 have managed to push the envelope and leave a positive message for younger students.
From its beginning as a way to raise money for a local family caught in hard times, Rainbow Day is now a model that is promoted throughout the NSW School system and the media as an end of school Year 12 event which promotes positive attitude, achievement, and social responsibility.
This year, Year 12 have chosen to split the donations between Lifeskills Plus and providing help to their sister school in East Timor.
