Matarawa & Pūwhenua camps

Matarawa and Pūwhenua have been incredibly busy this week, hosting not one, not two, but THREE camps for our Year 4, 5, and 6 students.

The week commenced on Monday with our Year 5 and 6 students from Pūwhenua embarking on their three-day camp to Ōhope. They stayed at Ōhope Christian Camp and Ōhope Marae (Te Maungarongo).

Then, on Wednesday, our Matarawa Year 5 and 6 students journeyed to Ōhope to exchange places with Pūwhenua. Simultaneously, our Year 4 students from both Matarawa and Pūwhenua began their overnight stay at school. 

Throughout Wednesday, you may have followed our Facebook stories showcasing students concluding their camp at the Whakatāne Pools, others commencing their camp with a pōwhiri at Ōhope Marae, and some embarking on a hike back here in Tauranga.

Year 5 & 6 Ōhope Camp

Upon arrival at Ōhope Christian Camp, our students unloaded their bags and were warmly welcomed by mana whenua with a special pōwhiri at the marae. After a quick snack in the wharekai, our students delved into their first round of activities, including bush walks, surfing, and rotations of paddleboarding, e-scooters, fishing, and wharf jumping at Port Ōhope wharf.

Both Year 5 and 6 camps were fantastic, filled with fun days where our students exemplified our Taumata learning principles. They embraced challenges, stepped out of their comfort zones, and courageously experienced being away from home for a couple of nights.

Year 4 Overnight Camp

Our Year 4 camp focused on a localised curriculum, with students heading to Ōtanewainuku for the summit loop walk. After an invigorating hike, they returned to The Lakes and school to prepare the Matarawa learning space for sleeping. The children were excited, the parents a little apprehensive about their upcoming sleep (or perhaps lack thereof), and Whaea Amanda, Whaea Zara and Whaea Michaela were busy prepping for her Talent Quest item that evening.

Ngā mihi

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our incredible Pūwhenua and Matarawa kaiako - Amanda Aitken, Michaela Watters, Zara Smith, Ayla Sutherland, Nick Opie, Jacqui French, Hayley Smith and Megan Harris. 

Special recognition is due to Kylie Forlong, Amanda McKinlay, and Heather Williams. These three ladies took the lead in organising and preparing our three camps, dedicating numerous extra hours to ensure each camp's success (with Heather and Kylie initiating preparations last year!).

All their hard work paid off, with each camp running smoothly and going off without a hitch.

We also extend a massive thank you to all the parent helpers who assisted this week. Across all three camps, over 55 parents supported our tamariki. It's absolutely true that we couldn't host these events without the support of our incredible Taumata whānau and community offering to give up a couple of days away from home and work, sleeping in an unfamiliar setting and ensuring our kids have an amazing time. We hope that any lost sleep was outweighed by the joy the children experienced and the memories created.