Earlier this month, Cullinane College held its first charity ball with senior students cutting a dash in suits and evening dresses as they enjoyed a night of fun - and fundraising - at Element cafe in Victoria Avenue.
The ball was an evening put together by the year 13 leadership team as a way of helping others by raising money for a charity.
The charity chosen was a Marist Catholic project, the Next Door Community.
Last year, a group year 13 Cullinane students went on a Young Marist Neighbours trip, going out into communities and seeing first-hand what people living in poverty looks like in New Zealand. They went to small towns that were influenced by gangs and where some children would only go to school until year 6 because their families could not afford intermediate and secondary school costs.
That experience prompted the desire to fundraise to support the work of the Next Door Community, and the money from the ball will go towards scholarships to allow children in such situations to finish their schooling.