Mokoia Intermediate School students helping plant trees at new Eastside park.
Mokoia Intermediate students are working to improve their community to ensure future generations have pleasant spaces to enjoy.
About 100 Year 7 and 8 students took part in a planting day at Puketawhero Park yesterday, working with Mokoia Community Association, Rotorua Lakes Council and Eastside Rangatahi at the Park (ER@P)on the project.
Teacher Tracey Low said the planting, which took place between 11am and 2.30pm, was part of efforts to ensure students were contributing to their community and "creating a better community for the future so when their kids grow up they have somewhere nice to go".
Plan of the new youth space.
"It's all about being contributing members of the community and making a difference in the community," Mrs Low said.
"It's like helping the community and makes you feel good and if you go back there with your friends or kids, you can say you planted that tree," the Year 8 student said.
Mrs Low said the students took responsibility for their efforts by appointing equipment managers, safety officers, photographers, caterers and more.
Mokoia Intermediate School students helping plant trees at new Eastside Park. Katie Tapsell, 12, (front), Erika Black, 13, (left), Corey Davidson, 13, Tumarie Tanerau, 13, and Brayden McDonald, 11.
"The kids had different roles to fill," she said.
Student Damien Edhouse, 12, said he enjoyed being part of the day because he was able to support the environment by "letting the world have more oxygen" through introducing new trees.
