Hastings Girls' High School students will now be able to enjoy a fruit juice slushy or a bite to eat in their lunch hour from a new cafe on school grounds.
The cafe was funded by the Board Of Trustees so the girls could have access to reasonably priced, healthy food
in an up-market cafe setting without having to step foot off campus.
"We have looked carefully at nutrition, and all the sandwiches and filled rolls are only $3," principal Geraldine Travers said.
"This isn't a money-making scheme, we just want to encourage the girls to stay at school and make the most of the services."
The stand-alone building is sited at the back of the campus and a floor-to-ceiling glass front looks out over the rest of the school.
"It's like a coffee bar, with shade sails and seating outside, like what you would see on an American TV programme about students," Mrs Travers said.
"As far as I'm aware there's not anything else like it."
Everything about the cafe has been carefully thought out, including ongoing discussion about who coffee will be available to, "this is something that we still need to look into". Having a communal area where students could congregate was not only convenient but a great way for girls to socialise.
"It will be a great social service for girls to get together in the one place and mingle," she said.
The cafe, aptly named Te Rau Rau or Food Basket, was opened yesterday morning by Board Of Trustees chairwoman Katherine Blake.Amy Shanks
