Master of ceremonies Jo Holley, at front, musician Raymond Bishop at back, with Hikutaia School students at the special assembly.
Master of ceremonies Jo Holley, at front, musician Raymond Bishop at back, with Hikutaia School students at the special assembly.
Hundreds of Hauraki students have celebrated the 30th anniversary of a books-in-homes project aimed at breaking the cycle of booklessness among children at low schooling equity index schools throughout New Zealand.
As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, Duffy Books in Homes hosted a special Duffy Role Model combined-school assembly in Paeroa on Monday.
Coordinator for Duffy Books in Homes Jacqui Whyte said 300 students gathered at the Paeroa War Memorial Hall, joined by Olympian Dylan Schmidt, musician Raymond Bishop and teen poet sensation Milan Moala.
“Instead of having one role model visit a school and the school running the assembly, we invited the senior students aged 8 to 12 from schools to come together to hear from a group of role models.”
Master of ceremonies was long-time Duffy Books supporter, actor and wellness advocate Jo Holley.
Master of ceremonies, Duffy Books supporter, actor and wellness advocate Jo Holley with Waihi Central School students at the assembly.
“This is the first time we have done this in smaller towns,” Whyte said.
“We are introducing them to lots of different people, lots of positive messages and story sharing, a new song for the kids to hear, one school at each event will win a ‘goodie’ pack donated by some of our sponsors to take back to school and we have sausage sizzle for them afterwards.
“The messages we hope the students will take away with them after the assembly are that reading is cool, can open up your world for you, and that there are so many different things you can do as a job when you are older that you may not have thought about.
“Even though they are still young, they are never too young to plant seeds of aspiring to something they love and want to achieve in.”
In 2024, nearly 100,000 “Duffy Kids” around New Zealand would receive at least six new books of their choice to own, thanks to more than 200 funding partners, supporters and donors, Whyte said.
The Alan Duff Charitable Foundation, incorporated under the Charities Trust Act, is governed by a volunteer board of trustees and managed by 11 staff.
Whyte said funding sources included the Ministry of Education, corporates, individuals, Rotary and donations, while schools paid about half the cost of books children received.
About 560 schools and 270 early childhood centres across New Zealand benefited from the programme each year.
She said the foundation came about after author Alan Duff, who lived in Hawke’s Bay, had visited schools in Camberley and noticed no books in schools, libraries or homes.
“He tried a second-hand book drive, but it was not that popular, and wanted to do more. At the time, philanthropist Christine Fernyhough read one of his articles and wanted to help.
“The foundation was formed in 1994; Christine was a driving force behind developing the books in homes concept by getting schools on board so kids could choose brand new books to keep and take home.
“She designed the programme and led a very small team as executive trustee.”
There are 15 schools in the Hauraki and Coromandel districts participating in the programme.
Duffy Books in Homes general manager Linda Vagana said low literacy had flow-on effects into adulthood and ultimately affected career prospects.
“Regardless of what job or career our children aspire to they need to be literate; the support the programme receives from funding partners, means that tens of thousands of Kiwi children get to experience the aroha of reading and books as taonga.
“Children who discover an enjoyment of reading and books now, become adults who inspire a love of reading to their whānau and wider community.”
