About the Organization

Sandscripts: Tales on the Tweed is an event produced by The Casimir Foundation and its president, Cherilyn Evans.   The Casimir Foundation had its origins in 1998 in a housing commission complex in inner city Sydney where Cherilyn Evans worked as a volunteer teaching art to neighbourhood children.   Cherilyn's artwork: Autumn leaves reflecting the diversity of the nations Cherilyn had been a creative student with a particular flair for painting and writing although it wasn't always clear where those skills would lead; she left university to model with the idea that she would make contacts and become a television producer; it wasn't long before she was able to convince someone that her talents also lay behind the camera and she gained a job as a production assistant for Parkes Hunter Productions, a company producing, among other things, inter school quiz shows hosted by Andrew Harwood.   She went on to write, direct and produce (television, commercials, documentaries, corporate videos, medical television) and worked in talent management both in Sydney and Los Angeles. Casimir Kids Perform at a High School Graduation Cherilyn says, "When I left school I hardly knew any of these opportunities existed or how to access them.   When I met a group of talented kids in the housing estates of inner city through a friend who was running a faith based charitable organization I saw a real need; if I had trouble negotiating the path of creativity how would these?   These kids were either disengaged from the education process or worse, serial school truants; they had little chance of realising their potential without a helping hand.   I started art classes and then introduced drama.   Before long the classes were getting big and rowdy and I needed help; I called on a network of friends and former film and television colleagues to assist.   We incorporated in 2000 and became the Casimir Foundation; we ran film workshops, theatre sports, public speaking courses, dance, music and singing classes.   We won the National Community Link Volunteer Award for Art & Culture in NSW & Australia in 2001, the same year Naomi Campbell came to inner-city Sydney at our invitation to bring attention to our cause.   Subsequently opportunities began presenting for our kids, many of whom were Indigenous Australians.   We were instrumental in gaining acting scholarships for Indigenous students to Nida & The Australian Academy of Dramatic Art, Priscilla's modelling agency & Mulliner's Casting responded to our call to promote greater opportunities for Indigenous Australian talent; a number of our kids from a variety of backgrounds got work in film and television and all left with a greater sense of self-esteem because in our classroom everyone found they had a talent and no talent seemed more valuable than any other -- the lighting kid was just as important as the star.   It is very hard to paint such a broad brush of equality in the classroom and consequently everyone involved came to realise this was an important adjunct to education." Ms Evans accepts the National Australia Bank award for Art & Culture in Australia 2001 When Cherilyn came to Tweed Heads in 2005 she had been encouraged to start the work of the Foundation in that region but was unsure how it would work -- the Tweed was not inner city Sydney and the network of volunteers was a distance away. The inspiration for Sandscripts: Tales on the Tweed came when a young Banora Point high school student, Jayde Simpson, approached Ms Evans about being a part of a short film she was making about her neighbourhood. Ms Evans says: "Until Jayde knocked at my door I had been unsure what I would do in the Tweed.   I knew I wanted to contribute -- I have a passion for the Tweed -- it has to be one of the best places in Australia to live and as Australia is one of the best places in the world then it follows the Tweed is the best of the best but there was one area of need that impressed me and that was the need for economic growth: I brought my family here to live, I did not want to see them have to go away to work. Cherilyn & newborn granddaughter Shayla: Thinking about the future of our children. As a producer I felt the Tweed could benefit from becoming less of a secret, but advertising is not the answer; Jayde's film scored to the theme of Neighbours was; there is no greater honesty than the story told by a child and who better to promote this region than those who have the most to win and to lose.   I came up with the idea of the interschool filmmaking challenge - it was the perfect mix of my talents (harking back to my early days in school quiz shows) and the mission of the Foundation to promote the arts as a pathway to education", Since formulating the idea Ms Evans has been able to engage others with her vision for Sandscripts: Tales on the Tweed including Rory Curtis/The Good Guys whose enthusiastic support and belief that we could find the next "Spielberg" in the Tweed led to Microsoft coming on board with a fantastic giveaway: Microsoft will supply the first 18 schools to register an interest in participation with their Digital Image Suite Plus 2006 software-editing package.   Their motive is to give as many students as possible access to the tools they need to create a great programme and the best chance at winning the major prize of $5,000 worth of JVC products! In the spirit of competing not just for one`s self there are prizes for class groups from Southern Cross University - they too want to fly the flag of the Tweed -- South Tweed Sports Club - great supporters of youth in this region - Tweed Coast Tours and Tropical Fruit World.   Both the owner of Tweed Coast Tours, Les Roughead & the founder of Tropical Fruit World Bob Brinsmead - also board members of Kingscliff Chamber of Commerce - have given Ms Evans great encouragement.   Ms Evans says, "Without the support of our sponsors and community members I couldn`t do this - this is an all of Tweed response to a pressing need to support our youth in many and varied ways and to pave the way to an even brighter future".

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