Year 7&8 Goodsorts Project

The Term 4 'Good Sorts' project run by the Year 7 & 8 Department as part of our move towards NPDL, led to a range of project ideas and plans within the Year 7 & 8 department. With a focus on what it means to be a good sort, collaboration and citizenship, the Year 7 & 8 students spent time exploring what it meant to volunteer, alongside the many different qualities that volunteers might have, such as empathy, collaborative skills and patience. Students then spent time in collaborative groups planning a project in which they themselves became the 'good sorts', giving back to the school or wider community in some way. Wow, did our students rise to the challenge!!! Having spent time researching the different volunteer groups within Ōtaki, many of our students wanted to give their time and efforts to HUHA. They were able to do this through a bake sale, as well as a car wash and topped it off with a visit to HUHA where they were able to spend time learning more about the work HUHA does, as well as spending some time with the animals at the Ōtaki Shelter. Another group decided to bake cookies to deliver to the volunteer Fire Brigade in Ōtaki, to thank them for the many times they are called out to our community, giving up their time to do so. We understand that these sweet treats were a hit! Below is a list of other projects that took place:

• A non uniform day and food sale, raising money to purchase gifts for the Benjamin Hughes Toy Drive - this was for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. The students involved had a great time choosing gifts and then dropping them off to the donation point. 

• A week of sweet treats for the teachers, leading to almost $400 being raised for the Cancer Society

• A fun scavenger hunt which was organised by a group for all of the other Year 7 & 8 classes, as well as some Year 9s

• Lemonade stands and cake stalls to raise funds for HUHA

• Cards for the local resthome

• A clean up of the College environment, and some of the surrounding street

• Helping in our Maara Kai

• Volunteering at the local Primary School

• Volunteering for a day at Ngā Manu - cleaning, and replanting parrot enclosures, helping with the eels and collecting leaf litter for the Kiwi enclosure

Seeing our students so proud of their achievements was a highlight for all of the Year 7 & 8 staff. As they raised their funds, donated their time, baked their hearts out, cleaned and gardened, our community became an even better place! The Year 7 & 8 team have also decided to continue working on this project in 2024, with each class taking on one project idea related to being a 'good sort' for the year. Watch this space...more amazing things to come...

See more photos here.

Fundraising for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

                                                                                   Baking Gifts for Volunteer Firefighters