Here we celebrate student achievement and showcase activities our students are involved in around college.

Year 8 students Bess Wilson and Oscar Searle this week presented a cheque for $3,358.27 to the Cancer Society’s Zoe Arden.

These funds were raised by our Year 8 students from sales at their Sustainable Christmas Market held last week.

It has been wonderful to see our students gaining valuable new skills in the research, development, marketing and sales of products and services while also demonstrating our college value of aroha through their empathy, compassion, and kindness in donating these funds to such a worthy cause. 

NEW LOOK FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMME 

From the start of 2024 our well known Students in the Community programme will have a new look. The programme was established in 1995 to instil a community consciousness in our senior students and to forge unique links between the school and wider community. For nearly 30 years the programme has been celebrated by many different sectors of our community while our generous students have spent thousands of hours volunteering.

As of next year, we are now opening up the programme to all year levels to reach further in our community and to recognise more of our awesome younger students who are already out there giving back. Although the programme will remain a compulsory part of the seniors' final year, younger students will have the option of taking part and gaining hours and ‘points’ in our new poutama system, which aligns to our college values. Throughout students’ years at MAC they can work towards the top honour award of 250 hours, but gain recognition and other awards along the way.

Any students wanting to opt in to the programme are welcome to get in touch with Jo Hewson-Williams, our SIC Coordinator, at sic@mtaspiring.school.nz for more information. Next year look out for volunteering opportunities advertised in the newsletter and on our new digital platform. In the meantime, have a think about which areas of our community you are passionate about and start making some inquiries.

We are looking forward to expanding this opportunity and seeing how we can reach even further into our Upper Clutha community!

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES 

Term 1 is a great time to kickstart your SIC volunteering. Wānaka holds so many large scale events. Here are a few event organisers that you can contact to sign up, as well as contacting any of your sports or cultural clubs that you would like to give back to.

Challenge Wānaka volunteer@challenge-wanaka.com

The annual A&P Show https://www.wanakashow.co.nz/about-us/volunteer-with-the-show

Motatapu https://motatapu.com/volunteer/

Warbirds over Wānaka https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/2024-airshow/volunteers/

Or other useful contacts:

QLDC Wanaka Library Paula.Mitchell@qldc.govt.nz

Kahu Youth holiday program volunteer@kahuyouthtrust.org

Mint Charitable Trust charlotte.jackson@minttrust.nz

YEAR 10 VISIT TO SITE WĀNAKA

Last week, our Year 10 Physical Education classes were fortunate to go to SITE trampoline for one of their PE lessons. This opportunity was made possible thanks to the great team at SITE who accommodated our students no matter their ability level. The 45 minute programme started with a focus on looking after yourself and learning how to fall. This warm up quickly transitioned into using the equipment to experience rotations with the help of the airbag for added safety. Each class had two fantastic trampoline coaches who split the class in half and took them for further instruction around various aspects of biomechanics, control and fun. A big thanks to all the teachers from various departments who also helped make this happen by giving up their time to help transport the students to and from the facility. 

The students all had a great time and we look forward to continuing using SITE trampoline Wānaka as part of our teaching and learning programmes in 2024 and beyond. 

SITE have school holiday programmes and after school lessons and you can find out more on their website sitewanaka.co.nz