Resource Key
LEVEL 1
brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)
LEVEL 2
provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.
LEVEL 3
lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)
Screen Australian Screen guide
Screen Australia. (2021). Tall Poppy: A Skater story. https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/tall-poppy--a-skaters-story-2021/36790/
Ted Talk
https://www.youtube.com/embed/XwGjLjI_HJM
Get to know Poppy Starr Olsen
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jA4lz_79Xuw
Introduction
A girl who just loved to skate from the age of eight, Poppy Starr Olsen became the number one female bowl skater in Australia at 14 and went on to take out bronze at the X Games at 17 - the ultimate competition in the world of skateboarding. The same year, skateboarding was announced as an official additional sport category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Now faced with the opportunity to represent Australia on the world stage Poppy grapples with the transition from skater to athlete and the pressure of competition mounts in a way it has never done before. A coming of age story told over 12 years, TALL POPPY documents Poppy’s journey intimately as she navigates the uncomfortable idea of what it means to be a competitive athlete, the complexities of a relationship with a mum turned manager and finding her place in a male-dominated industry.
Screen Australia. (2021). Tall Poppy: A Skater's Story. https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/tall-poppy--a-skaters-story-2021/36790/
What is Tall Poppy Syndrome?
CELEBRATING A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT with those around you isn’t always as easy as it sounds, at least for Australians and New Zealanders.
There’s self-deprecating nature that is intrinsically linked to our collective attitudes and interactions within society; meaning when complimented, often our first instinct is not to accept it, rather to offer one in return. Similarly, when achieving a goal — professional or personal — sometimes sharing it feels like ‘humble bragging’ or it becomes a task in itself. This is a phenomenon called Tall Poppy Syndrome (TPS), and it’s more common than you may think.
Broadly speaking, Tall Poppy Syndrome is a societal attitude that occurs when people are resented, disliked or criticised due to their successes. Counterintuitive to the ideas of celebrating achievements and lifting one another up, it continues to permeate society.
Dr. Rumeet Billan, author of 2018 study The Tallest Poppy, says the mindset associated with TPS can be directly linked with key values of the way of life Down Under.
Harpers Bazaar. (2022). Breaking DownTall Poppy Syndrome. https://harpersbazaar.com.au/tall-poppy-syndrome-wellbeing-mental-health/
Poppy Starr Olsen and the Olympics
ABC TV & iview. (2023)
Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwuhwQSOrGI&ab_channel=ABCTV%26iview
Poppy Starr Olsen on skateboarding, illustrating and life | ABC News
https://www.youtube.com/embed/YCGQ_v1MiDU
Poppy discovers her true self
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qUPX3FcEkgQ
Databases
- Britannica Schools This link opens in a new window
Britannica School covers the core subject areas of English, Maths, Science and History. Interactive lessons, activities, games, stories, worksheets, manipulatives, study guides and research tools.
- West Australian Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
The West Australia Archive Digital Editions provides full text searching of past issues of the West Australian. Each issue is searchable the day after publication.
Tall Poppy: A Skaters Story - Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UXjeA1KLXyU
Olympics Unleashed
https://www.youtube.com/embed/kufj-Uidd-M