A donation has enabled Auroa School pupils to take part in the EPro8 Challenge. Photo/ Supplied
A donation has enabled Auroa School pupils to take part in the EPro8 Challenge. Photo/ Supplied
A donation from Anzco Foods has enabled Auroa School pupils to take part in the EPro8 Challenge.
Anzco Foods donated $5176 to the school through the Sponsor a School programme.
For the programme, the company works with local dairy farming families who nominate a rural primary school to receive adonation from Anzco that is linked to supply.
In 2021, Anzco donated more than $106,000 to primary schools New Zealand wide through the programme and, since the beginning of the programme in 2011, a substantial $1.2 million has been contributed to rural schools.
Anzco head of livestock Shannon Parnham says the programme provides the business with an opportunity to put funds back into rural communities.
"We're always looking for more farmers to register for the programme because the greater the support we get from the rural community, the more we are able to contribute back to schools."
Auroa School principal Jarad Chittenden says the school decided to use the donation to buy Epro8 equipment to enable each classroom to participate in the EPro8 programme together.
Anzco Foods donated $5176 to the school. Photo / Supplied
EPro8 is an inter-school science and engineering competition, with over 13,000 students from 900 schools nationwide taking part in the challenge each year.
As part of the Epro8 Challenge Series, the pupils have been building caveman vehicles and robotic guard dogs. He says Epro8 helps students to problem solve and innovate through using electronic construction kits.
"The students learn great problem-solving techniques and collaborative methodologies."
Jarad says the donation has made a huge difference to the school community.
"We are grateful to the local farming community and Anzco for the contribution. The students love the opportunity to engage in construction challenges, focused on engineering principles, that challenge their thinking and that have a competitive element."
