Midhirst School honours wartime heroes with Anzac gates

Midhirst School will be representing the past, present and future with their new school gates.

The school gates will have one side dedicated to Anzac soldiers and the other side will represent the children and the future.

Midhirst School's student council has been working on the plans for the new gates.

Pupil Kodie Murfitt says it is important to represent the Anzacs and represent the pupils at Midhirst School.

"At last year's working bee we decided to change the gates. The gate has a side for the children and a side to represent the Anzacs. On the left-hand side it is the soldiers' side. There will an Anzac soldier, a poppy, an iwi/hapū design and native birds.

"On the right-hand side it is the kids' side. There will be the school motto in both Māori and English. There will also be a hapū/iwi design and the school logo. It is good to have gates as it shows respect to those who went to war."

Kodie says the gates will be galvanised so they don't rust and then powder-coated in black to be protected from the elements.

The school logo was modified last year by the children and will be part on the gate. It now features the motto Our Best Always in both English and Māori, a koro to represent knowledge and the growth from a child to an adult. It also has other parts which represent the community and the land.

Pupil Nicole Fale says the gates are important as they will remind the pupils of the Anzacs who went to war. Amy Petersen says the gates will help the students to remember those soldiers.

"We can see it when we come to school."

Pupil Dawson Perry says the two different sides represent both the pupils at the school as well as the Anzacs.

"The side with the kids represents who we are. The soldiers' side represents those who fought in the war. It shows respect."

Bailee Robertson, pupil at Midhirst School says that the gate will help remind the pupils to do their best.

"I think the side with the kids is cool. People who drive past our school will see the gate and think 'wow that's a cool gate'."

The gates will be ready for the Whānau Day in Term two, where there will be an opening ceremony, principal Graham Sands says.

"This ties in with the Māori new year as it is a new beginning with our new gates."