A group of Te Kura o Kokohuia students understand how to handle a rip so well, they decided to include the actions in a dance, with Layton and Ethan joining in.
A group of Te Kura o Kokohuia students understand how to handle a rip so well, they decided to include the actions in a dance, with Layton and Ethan joining in.
Through the generosity of a local individual, funds were donated to Sport Whanganui with one condition: please use the money to teach water safety to Whanganui's rangatahi.
Driven by this generosity, Sport Whanganui and Whanganui Surf Lifesaving Club formed a partnership to put in place a programme about water safetyat the beach and the awa.
City College piloted the programme in February with a handful of students taking the plunge to trial what was on offer, with the students' feedback being hugely valuable to the programme.
The programme operates from the Surf Lifesaving Club and covers a massive range of knowledge, including what to do in a rip, fishing safely, understanding beach flags, knowing your limits, how to keep others safe, and games and activities on the beach to embed the learnings.
The Awa is a focus too. The Whanganui Awa is a favourite place for rangatahi to connect and keep cool on scorching summer days. It's an amazing river, which gives us so much. Learning about river depth and the danger signs will help our rangatahi enjoy the gifts of the awa safely.
Regardless of the body of water, sea or river, the key word is respect, and Daniel Comp, Layton Comp, Shannon Schimanski and Ethan Bryers take an honest and relatable approach to educating our kids about water safety.
The first school to go through the programme was Te Kura o Kokohuia. Daniel Comp, vice president of the Whanganui Surf Life Saving Club and juniors co-ordinator, shared his thoughts on the first full programme delivery to Te Kura o Kokohuia.
"One of the factors that really helps the delivery of the programme is the rangatahi who deliver it, Leighton, Ethan, and Shannon. Having rangatahi deliver to other rangatahi and share their experiences as life savers has a real impact.
"Te Kura o Kokohuia rangatahi were on to it, picking up the learnings so quickly. The students were incredibly respectful and an excellent group to spend the day with. Now we want them to share what they learned with family and friends. That's important."
Dominic Patea, Kaiako at Te Kura o Kokohuia, found the programme enriching for the students and himself.
"We took all our kids down to learn, we all spoke about how good the tutors were, it was one of the best days for our students and the staff. I learnt things I didn't know too, like the three Rs: how to manage a rip, relax, raise your arms, and ride the rip. To get all that information was helpful for us. There is also the opportunity for our rangatahi to become lifeguards, they can sign up to train from 13 years old, what a fantastic opportunity for our students."
Danny Jonas, chief executive of Sport Whanganui, feels grateful for the donation from one community-minded individual and reflects on the impact from one act of kindness.
"One act of generosity has the potential to save lives, not just the lives of those who had the first-hand water safety education, but those they share the knowledge with. The ripple effect is a powerful thing.
"We really encourage students to take up the offer to train as lifeguards, it's massively rewarding and a fun community to be a part of. Whanganui City college is the next school to do the programme, and more will follow. We're looking to provide more learning opportunities too. The donor wants to remain anonymous, we all just say a huge thank you. Know that you have made a difference to our community."
Trainers Daniel Comp, Layton Comp, Ethan Bryers leading the Te Kura o Kokohuia students in Water Safety Education at the Whanganui Surf Lifesaving Club.
The students who participated in the programme deserve the last word on the experience.
Tama Gardiner, a 15-year-old student from Te Kura o Kokohuia, enjoyed the day.
"We learnt about water safety at the beach and the awa. I definitely learnt some new stuff. I swim in the awa more than the beach. It's a great idea to teach people how to be safe."
Sefululima Emilio Leo explained why she thought the programme was so successful.
"It was cool. A first experience for me and I learnt some new stuff, like the three Rs. I did not know how to recognise rips and when not to go out into the sea. There were some cool beach activities too, it was tiring running on sand, though.
"The people who ran the course were pretty cool, they were teenagers too and they knew how to communicate with us. It was easy to understand. I can definitely pass on the things I learnt to others."
Whanganui has so many natural resources to enjoy. The beaches, awa, and lakes are perfect places for recreation, and understanding how to enjoy them safely is a priority.
Thanks to all those involved who care about building that understanding for our youth and their families.
