On Thursday 16 May, a group of year 13 social studies students from Palmy Girls visited the Palmerston North City Council chambers to make a verbal submission to the Council as they constructed their 10-year plan.

The three of us are passionate about public safety and advocating for safe and accessible community places. This led us to focus on lighting up the Manawatū River to make it safer for use after dark for our Level 3 social action. We told the council how we currently don't feel safe walking by the river after dark, which is annoying and becoming even more limiting to us as we head into the winter months with fewer daylight hours. We also told the council that there was lots of interest within the Palmy Girls community and beyond for the river to be lit up. It was a great day and an awesome opportunity to experience local governance and be able to voice our opinions as part of the Manawatū community.

Kate Coutts, Malia Charman and Madeleine James