Neos Kosmos recently wrote about the disruption caused to the Northcote High School community due to the impending temporary “freeze” of the Modern Greek programme at the school due to insufficient interest from Year 7 students registered for 2024, resulting in low numbers.

Following a meeting between representatives of the Greek language advocacy group Pharos and the school’s headmaster, Chris Jones, in early November, Pharos issued a press release highlighting the multiple benefits of learning Modern Greek.

In the release they appealed to students enrolling in Year 7 and their families to choose Modern Greek, thus rescuing the programme for the 2024 school year.

Neos Kosmos is publishing a letter from a Northcote High student Eleni (Lena) Dounia, (below) which is a testimony of the thoughts of a Greek Australian teenager who has found her Greek identity through the Greek language program she is taking at the school.

Eleni, titled her letter Hope of a young student.

The hope of a young student

Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Lenna, and my Greek name is Eleni. My father is of Greek origin and an ex-Northcote high boy; my mother is Assyrian from Iraq.

When I started Northcote High, which was last year, I wasn’t that interested in my Greek heritage, but after a long discussion with my father and uncle, I decided to pick Modern Greek as a language at Northcote High.

These two years have changed my life completely, and I would like to share this experience thanks to Northcote High, which allowed me to have it. Greek is one of my most enjoyable subjects; I’ve learned so much about the country’s rich history and in every aspect, cultural and linguistic. All this has brought me much closer to my Greek roots.

I never thought Greece had such a significant historical value on Western civilization; it’s the foundation of our modern society today.

The success of this subject was also due to my teacher’s enthusiasm, knowledge and patience.There are no words to describe what I have experienced, learned, and enjoyed these past two years.

My sister Emmanuela is starting at Northcote High next year, so I took over the role of my father and uncle to convince her to take modern Greek as I did.

To her great disappointment, Greek will not be offered next year; she is extremely disappointed as she has seen my development. It’s a shame that she and other students will not be able to have the same experience as I have.

Northcote High was one of the first schools to introduce Greek in its curriculum. According to Anna Chatzinikolaou, “Greek was introduced in our state schools back in the late 60s and the mid-70s”, and Northcote High was one of them.

History repeats itself, and in my case, it does.

My dad did Modern Greek and had a lot of great memories doing it. I’m also doing Modern Greek and enjoying it, but my sister and other kids her age will not have this opportunity.

That’s why it is a shame that Northcote High doesn’t continue its tradition. I wanted to share this with you: Northcote High has done an excellent job over all these years by having Greek in its curriculum.

Let’s hope it will continue to allow people in 2024 and for years to experience the Greek language as others did before us.

Lenna Dounias