YOU’D be hard pressed to find more excitement than what was palpable inside the classroom of the Grade 5 and 6 students at St Joseph’s Primary School in Brunswick West on Tuesday.

That’s not just from the students, but from teacher Alessandra Saladino as well.

The born-and-bred Bluebagger was on school camp when she received a phone call that the Blues were looking to head down to the school in Melbourne’s northern corridor and visit the students who had recently become engaged with the Road to Respect digital learning platform.

The response for Miss Saladino, as she’s more commonly known at St Joseph’s, was immediate.

“I dropped everything and changed everything for this to definitely happen! Of course, we were so excited,” Saladino said.

“Everyone’s been excited . . . for me . . . but we’ve been so excited and happy to be part of this program. You can see the excitement on my face, the kids’ faces and even the players seeing the kids working with them and going through the program with them, you can see the work the Club has been putting in over the past few years.”

For Saladino and those at St Joseph’s, the Road to Respect digital learning platform - and the premise of the Carlton Respects initiative as a whole - directly aligns with the values the school is looking to instil in their students.

As the Carlton Football Club endeavours to take action through education, the Road to Respect digital learning platform is one which is free and accessible, looking to educate students in the classroom about respectful relationships.

With education playing such an important role in helping change the culture and stop disrespect at the start, Saladino said she believed the impacts of the program would soon begin to emerge.

“They’ve been learning a lot about emotional literacy, different emotions, how that carries through with gender stereotypes and ways to respond to that,” she said.

“It’s been working really well with what we’ve been doing with our wellbeing program, and for the students to unpack and describe how they’re feeling and ways to deal with that. It’s not just in the classroom or in the playground, but even outside the school community and playing sport themselves.

“It’s been really good to see, and to be able to break through stereotypes has been a huge part with this program, what they’re learning and what the Carlton Football Club is trying to do as well.”

PHOTO GALLERY Blues, St Joseph's Brunswick West launch 2023 AFL Carlton Respects Game

As someone who has been attending Carlton games all her life, despite a ploy from the Collingwood side of the family to switch her to black and white, Saladino will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the 2023 AFL Carlton Respects Game.

Delivering the ball to the umpires as Marvel Stadium turns orange in the pre-game, Saladino said the opportunity to present the Sherrin had been playing on her mind all week . . . of course, along with the arrivals of Marc Pittonet, Mitch McGovern and Mua Laloifi a few days ago.

“I’m very excited, but I’m worried I might get very nervous right before . . . actually, I’m more nervous now.”