Vibe Alive in Coonamble a Smash Hit!

The very first Vibe Alive festival launched with a bang in Coonamble on Wednesday, August 21, with hundreds of young people from across NSW descending on the charming country town of Coonamble for two days of full-on excitement, fun and learning.

More than 700 students attended the festival in Coonamble, with young people from the local area taking part in the friendly competition with kids from as far away as Sydney and Kempsey.

Teams of eight representing their schools competed in singing, dancing, painting and basketball activities. There was also a festival spelling bee and interactive health and careers expos. Each component of the competition earned points for each team, with the team from each age category with the most points being named the inaugural winners of this new national youth festival.

The winner in the Junior School category was the Crawford Public School Colbys from Doonside; the winner in the Middle School category was the Colly Cuzs from Collarenebri; and the winner of the High School category was the Dubbo College Killers from Dubbo. A full list of winners is attached.

The weather turned on a beautiful display of sunshine and blue skies for the festival, with Vibe Alive crew and volunteers having almost as much fun as the kids themselves!

“It was a perfect start to the Vibe Alive Festival program,” says Gavin Jones, Executive Producer of Vibe Alive. “Everyone in Coonamble is rightfully proud. New links were formed between schools, students, teachers, the local Aboriginal community and the greater Coonamble community, with everyone working together to improve the education and future prospects of our young people.”

Special celebrity guests were in attendance to meet the kids and help out with competition judging, with
Former Australian Idol Casey Donovan and Vanessa and Suri from So You Think You Can Dance? joining AFI award-winning actor Luke Carroll, comedian and artist Kevin Kropinyeri and dancer Gina Reuben in encouraging the kids to work hard, stay in school and reach their full potential.

A highlight of the two day festival was the special Community Concert held on the Wednesday night, with more than 2000 people from the local area turning up to watch the best of the festival strut their stuff on stage and enjoy a spectacular fireworks display courtesy of the Vibe Alive crew.

“Vibe Alive Coonamble was a huge success,” says Vibe Alive Patron Kerry Hayes. “It was the perfect platform for students to be motivated, inspired and entertained.

“We certainly found all the young participants inspiring – they were energetic, exciting, fun and full of potential.”
The next event on the Vibe Alive Festival Program is Port Augusta Vibe Alive, which will be held on September 3 & 4, 2008. For more information about Vibe Alive, head to www.vibealive.com.au

WINNERS

100M DASH Junior Boys Tui Bartlett	100M DASH Junior Girls Tori Horan
100M DASH Middle Boys Brandon Mohr	100M DASH Middle Girls Taylor Stanley
100M DASH High Boys Darren Norris	100M DASH High Girls Latisha Carr
MAKE SOME NOISE – VOCALS Junior 1st Bunnyong Boys 2nd Crawford Public School Colbys 3rd Coonamble Public School Mixtures	MAKE SOME NOISE VOCALS Middle 1st Dubbo Delroy Globetrotters 2nd Dubbo Roos 3rd Colly Cuzs
MAKE SOME NOISE VOCALS High 1st Wello Mob 2nd Players 3rd Collie Chaos	PAINT IT UP – VISUAL ARTS Junior 1st Nyngan Tigers 2nd Crawford Public School Colbees 3rd Coonamble Public Schools Mixtures
PAINT IT UP – VISUAL ARTS Middle 1st Nyngan High Middies 2nd Coonamble Opals	PAINT IT UP – VISUAL ARTS High 1st Gulargambone G Girls 2nd Colly Chaos 3rd Deadly Ridge Vibes
GOT THE MOVES – DANCE Junior 1st Nyngan Tigers 2nd Cully Kids 3rd Crawford Public School Colbees	BUZZ OFF – SPELLING BEE Junior 1st equal Gulargambone Diamonds St Brigid’s Girls 2nd equal Nyngan Tigers Bunnyong Bunnies Bunnyong Boys
GOT THE MOVES – DANCE High 1st Dubbo College Killers 2nd Wello Mob 3rd Lightening Ridge Deadly Ridge Vibes	BUZZ OFF SPELLING BEE – High 1st equal Bumble Bees Girri Sports Orange G Boys
BUZZ OFF – SPELLING BEE Middle 1st Colly Cuzs 2nd equal Rhinos Dubbo Roos Coonamble High Boomers	OVERALL WINNERS Middle 1st Colly Cuzs 2nd Nyngan High 3rd Dubbo Roos
OVERALL WINNERS Junior 1st Crawford Public School Colby’s 2nd Nyngan Tigers 3rd Bunnyong Boys	OVERALL WINNERS High 1st Dubbo College Killers 2nd Wellington Wello Mob 3rd Collarenebri Colly Chaos COONAMBLE CUP WINNERS Crawford Public School Colbys

Tags: Coonamble, New South Wales, Vibe Alive