THE SANTOS Aboriginal Power Cup (APC) is back in 2019 with a record number of students participating right across the state.

In its 12^th year, the APC is Port Adelaide’s flagship Aboriginal community program, and this year’s theme has been announced as the Year of Indigenous Languages.

Port Adelaide’s Director of Aboriginal Programs Paul Vandenbergh says the flagship Aboriginal program wouldn’t be possible without the support of Santos.

“The support we receive from Santos allows us to make a real difference in the community,” he said.

“We have achieved some amazing results - results that could not be possible without the support provided by Santos.

“It is the longest-running joint football and education community program for Aboriginal students in the professional sports industry in Australia.”

Introduced in 2008, the program has been established as Port Adelaide’s flagship Aboriginal community program and has seen success with 380 Aboriginal students completing the SACE Power Cup subject in 2018.

This year will involve 409 students ranging from years 10-12 with 24 overarching teams across 75 schools in South Australia.

The Aboriginal Power Cup is run through the SAASTA academies with Woodville High,  Warriappendi School and Immanuel College also participating.

Vandenbergh says the results from the industry-leading Aboriginal Power Cup have been very encouraging for all involved.

“To start with, we are seeing more young Aboriginal people engaged in their schooling,” he said.

“We have more Aboriginal students completing their schooling, and more young Aboriginal people going on to further education and employment.

“It is a program that we are all very proud of.”

The program works across two terms, withTerm 1 involving classroom-based curriculum run by SAASTA andschool staff and complimented by Port Adelaide Football Clubs staff and playersand their workshops where students are guided through a number of tasks, engaging and inspiring thestudents involved.

The program gives students the opportunity to boost their education and personal development by engaging in their Aboriginal culture and identity, education and promoting healthy lifestyle choices and developing teamwork, leadership and life skills.

In Term 2, the Aboriginal Power Cup carnival, the centrepiece of the program, will be held for the first time at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide’s city centre, due to the growth in participation.

The grand final of the Aboriginal Power Cup will be played as a curtain-raiser to Port Adelaide’s Round 14 clash against Geelong at Adelaide Oval on Saturday 22 June.

To be involved in the carnival, students are required to follow a set of strict guidelines focused on a minimum of 80% school attendance and targets set towards both academic and behavioural aspects of the program.