As part of the World Refugee Day, a group of Year 12 and 13 refugee and migrant students were invited to a Migrant and Former Refugee Experience by the University of Waikato.

An engaging icebreaker set the scene for the day, allowing students to collaborate with peers from other schools. Stimulating and interesting, students interacted with one another by firstly using non-verbal communication to problem solve, and secondly by relying on hand and eye coordination and communication skills to complete a tactile task.

The purpose of the day was for students to learn about the challenges, achievements and goals of former refugees; and the scholarships available were they to pursue a tertiary level education. A former refugee, now a high achiever at the University, shared his heart warming story with the audience, alluding to how his previous experience paved the way to success. An orientation around the campus allowed students to explore the layout and architectural design. Two meal breaks were also provided by the University. Asked “What was the highlight of the day?” the girls replied “The food!” but I know they took more than this away with them. A huge thank you to all students for displaying the school values, and representing the school in a positive way, and much appreciation to Wendy for being an awesome excursion buddy.