This Wednesday (2/10), Budi Utama Elementary School were thrilled to welcome a special guest, Sarah Richardson, the Executive Director of the Asia Education Foundation, as part of the BRIDGE (Bridge Relationships through Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement) program between Australia and Indonesia.

Sarah’s visit started with a warm greeting from our students that played traditional gamelan music and created a wonderful atmosphere. After that, they performed a bright and joyful dance, followed by an impressive Mandarin language presentation, showing just how talented and eager our students are.

The Australia-Indonesia BRIDGE School Partnerships Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by the Asia Education Foundation at Asialink, The University of Melbourne. Through this program, our students get the chance to work on interesting projects with other schools, while practicing their language skills. Our teachers also learn new ways of teaching, using technology both in the classroom and online, to help students see the world in new ways.

During Sarah’s visit, we proudly shared how this program has helped improve our school. One area we focused on was our waste management efforts. Thanks to BRIDGE, our teachers and students have become more conscious of how we handle organic waste and recycling, making our school more eco-friendly.

On this occasion Sarah didn’t just watch—she toured our school and got involved with our students. They were so excited to meet her, confidently asking questions in English and sharing what they were learning in class. It was a great opportunity for them to learn more about Australia and practice their language skills.

This visit perfectly matched the goals of the BRIDGE program, which is all about helping students become global citizens who understand other cultures, use technology wisely, and improve their language skills. It’s an exciting way for our students to learn more about the world, especially about Australia and Asia.

At the end, the day was full of learning, excitement, and fun. We hope that this visit will continue to build stronger relationships and everything the BRIDGE program stands for!