Values: Halo project

Year 11 students deepened curriculum understandings through helping their community.

Duration: 02:23

Transcript

Bridget Palmer: This project actually came about naturally through a conversation with Nigel Rowland here at the school, our technology tutor. He wanted something significant for the students to be involved in; something that was set in place, something that they can contribute to the community.

One of my other hats is with the Whakatane Kiwi Trust, we are always trying to get more stoat traps out in the community, in our kiwi protected areas which are right on our backdoor here in Whakatane. Kiwi are in town here, we are the Kiwi capital of the world. So that was an amazing discussion with Nigel a couple of years ago and the students made these wonderful stoat traps that we are using. Of course that idea formulated over the next year and we started Halo Whakatane, this class has just fitted in really well. It’s a learning curb for us at Halo Whakatane the stewardship group in how we’re going to interact with schools and make this vision a reality.

Nigel Rowland: This project really does hit all of the values of the curriculum in my eyes. It’s a great story, it helps the community, it’s got a cultural background to it and it’s environmentally sustainable. The Halo Project is just about our community and what they value.

Campbel and James: I thought it was good because we were helping out the environment and getting back the native bird life to Whakatane, and helping get the saddle backs back here and all of the native birds.

Bridget Palmer: Working with schools is a huge part of this community project and it is the mechanism that will make the vision a reality. Naturally teachers coming to us or asking what they can do because they are excited and ignited by the possibilities is actually the best way to go. I think onwards and upwards from here and I think we can actually engage with more classes here maybe the communications, graphics, things like that. I think it’s an amazing opportunity.