Wednesday Walking Challenge: students do their bit to keep Makaraka beautiful

A rubbish run by Makaraka School students on SH2 from the 50kmh mark to the 80kmh sign has left them feeling despondent. In a new spin on the Wednesday Challenge, which is about encouraging children to walk to school, the Makaraka students decided on a Wednesday Walking Challenge to pick up rubbish. Zac Robinson, James O’Connell, Maddie Sommersby, Byron Carpenter, Shavaughn Eagle, Nirvana Bradford and Angus Carpenter are pictured with rubbish they collected on Wednesday.Picture supplied

Makaraka School is on a mission to clean up rubbish on the main road outside the school putting a new spin on the Wednesday Challenge.

The Wednesday Challenge is about encouraging people to walk to school but at Makaraka School it’s about cleaning up the main road.

The Wednesday Challenge at Makaraka is called Walking Wednesday and involves walking to the 80kmh speed limit sign and back to the 50kmh sign, picking up rubbish as they go.

“Every time we go we get a full rubbish bag and everyone is disappointed because because we don’t like picking up rubbish,” says Angus Carpenter.

“The rubbish is not good for the environment and it is being chucked out of car  windows.”

They find everything from alcohol bottles, vapes and cans to McDonalds packaging.

“Come on Gizzy — we can do better,” says Jack Martin.

The students are environmentally conscious and put their rubbish in the bin. They take pride in the appearance of their school.

“We want our school to look great with our new cark and waharoa and this rubbish is not helping,” said Zac Robinson.

They are worried the rubbish will end up polluting the waterways.

The sign in front of the school encouraging people to pick up their rubbish was made two years ago but there seems to be more and more rubbish being dumped, including an increase in vapes.

A group of four students came up with the idea of Walking Wednesday and the group has grown in numbers as more students want to help and do their bit to keep Makaraka beautiful.