Te Puke Primary School pupils get free running shoes from Zespri

Benuaki Rimon (hidden) and Villisata Tonganbeia (back), with Jayden Spurr, Oscar Smith, Walter Rimon, Tydus Taipeti jumping for joy at their new ASICS shoes. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Se

A group of Te Puke Primary School students were given a pre-weekend surprise last Friday, thanks to their hard work and dedication during this year's five-week Zespri Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure.

Each was rewarded with a brand new pair of ASICS shoes, Zespri Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure lunchboxes and Zespri Kiwifruit. The 36 were then joined by Zespri staff to test the new shoes with a run around the school field.

Zespri's head of communications and external relations Michael Fox says Zespri is proud to support some of the region's youngest New Zealanders as part of the Zespri Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure, which is Zespri's first nationwide community investment programme.

This year, 20,000 students across 760 classrooms nationwide participated in the adventure, which saw them earn points for simple healthy habits like drinking more water, eating fruit and vegetables and minimising screen time to help them travel virtually around the globe with the help of their ASICS ambassadors Ardie Savea, Kane Williamson, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Samantha Charlton.

"We're really excited about the positive benefits the Zespri Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure will bring to students up and down the country," says Mr Fox.

"Alongside adventure founder the Young and Healthy Charitable Trust and partner ASICS, we've surprised five participating classes with new shoes. We've been thrilled to see the looks on kids' faces and hear how the adventure has taught them new, healthy habits, and how teachers and their families are getting involved too.

"It was a pleasure to join the students at Te Puke Primary School and we hope the new ASICS shoes support their efforts following the adventure.

"To us it's really important we support the next generation through investing in skills, leadership and wellbeing, and we're proud to support the adventure which helps make a real difference to the physical health and mental wellbeing of kiwi kids and their families."