St Patrick School Inglewood's pupils with writer Martin Baynton, who decided the winning team of the MasterChef cooking challenge.
St Patrick School Inglewood's pupils with writer Martin Baynton, who decided the winning team of the MasterChef cooking challenge.
North Taranaki primary school students mixed fun and community service for their school camp.
St Patrick’s School Inglewood teacher Julie-Anne Hall said the school was trialling a new system by which students attended a local camp one year and an away camp the next year.
“Last year we took our Year 7 and 8 students to Auckland. It was an exceptional camp for our tamariki. However, it is not financially sustainable to do this every year, especially in this economic climate.”
The school has a roll of about 60 pupils and Hall said that, being small, staying locally was a great way to reduce costs for families, with the school applying for grants and running fundraisers.
“We want to reduce costs so all our tamariki could experience camp.”
She said staying locally also minimised anxiety about being away from home.
“It allows for a more intimate and personalised experience, especially with a small group of students. Being close to home also provides comfort and familiarity, which can be reassuring for nervous campers.
“Additionally, staying in a local area means that students can explore and appreciate the beauty of their surroundings, gaining a newfound appreciation for the natural world right in their own backyard.”
Hall said they experienced “the best of Taranaki” by kayaking down the Waitara River, visiting Puke Ariki museum and exploring other places in New Plymouth.
A notable highlight was meeting writer Martin Baynton, creator of Jane and the Dragon, which was adapted for television and ran in 2005 and 2006.
“He had been staying at the same campsite as us. It wasn’t until we had our MasterChef Challenge and started talking to him that we realised who he was. He told us how he visited our school around 2016 along with other famous authors such as Joy Cowley for a writing workshop.”
Members of the New Zealand Army speaking to the St Patrick's School Inglewood pupils.
She said meeting Baynton was not the only surprise, with the kids meeting members of the New Zealand Army from Waiōuru, who were in New Plymouth for underwater training.
“The kids were so excited to meet them and even more excited to explore their vehicles. They learned about the different careers available in the army. That experience has inspired some pupils to work towards becoming engineers in the army.”
The pupils also visited New Plymouth’s The Junction - Zero Waste Hub where they learned about proper recycling techniques.
“They learned about how to recycle correctly. Even though we thought we were good at recycling, there is so much more we can do.”
As well as being about having fun, the pupils also practised their school values.
“Part of the Catholic character of our school is to participate in acts of service within our community. We spent some time at the local hospice pricing pillows, cleaning toys and photo frames and cutting out prices. The pupils even got to choose the prices of the frames. It was a fun experience.”
