Friday 11 February saw another very successful Connections Activities Day.
Each year, our Y13 Connections Leaders plan and run this series of activities. The programme is designed to foster the growth of positive relationships within Y9 classes, and with their Y13 mentors, as well as developing collaborative, co-operative and problem-solving skills. After many anxious days worrying about the weather, we were fortunate to have a mild, overcast morning ideal for the outdoor activities. It rained ten minutes after we finished!
Each class faces six activities: a quiz, making newspaper costumes, a photo scavenger hunt, a maze (beware the leaders with water guns!), a series of mini challenges (eg tug of war, group tic tac toe, magic carpet, move the water), and making lei in house colours with positive messages on each flower. It was wonderful to see everyone fabulously outfitted in their house colours, being included, smiling, laughing, encouraging each other, and putting in so much effort to meet the challenges and just have fun!
This year, we added a sustainability section. Our Head Girl, Bella Ives, and our Sustainability Prefect Danielle Stewart introduced this part of the day. Each Y9 planted their own ”Study Buddy” succulent plant in a pot to take home, and began discussing a wero (challenge) to make individual and group changes that will contribute to sustainability at PNGHS and in the wider community. The new opportunity to become a Year 9 Sustainability form class representative (another first for the school) was also introduced. During the year there will be further sustainability initiatives and challenges for the Year 9s to be involved in.
Activities Day is an early and special part of a bigger programme called Connections. Connections is a peer support programme run by Y13 leaders (93 of them this year), who gave up time in their holidays to be trained for this by the Guidance Department. During term one, they plan and present sessions to Y9 students. Each group of eight to ten Y9s has three or four Y13 leaders who guide them through their transition to PNGHS. This happens during Wednesday form time each week. The leaders are mentored during term by the Y9 form teachers. In terms two and three, there are weekly visits to the whole class by some of the class’s Y13 leaders. Providing this programme is a significant commitment for our busy Y13 students, and we are very grateful that they are willing to do this for the younger students.
Research indicates that peer support programmes like this make a powerful contribution to how well students settle at high school, and there is a correlation between a positive transition in year 9 and academic success as late as year 12. We are proud of the efforts of all concerned, and the positive relationships, skills, and memories that result.