Project K Students Give Back to Community
Project K students have now completed their two week community challenge phase of the Project K programme.
Students designed their own Big Give projects to give back to select groups in the community they wanted to help. This included helping families from Nawton School, the Children’s ward at Waikato Hospital and the Hamilton Night Shelter.
The group helping out Nawton School families have secured, with the help of Office Products Depot Hamilton, ten stationary packs to be donated each term for new-entrant students of the school. "It’s a huge help and we are grateful for the generosity of these Project K students and Office Products Depot." says Nawton School Principal, Rubina Wheeler. "These stationery packs will see students owning the right equipment (removing additional pressures on the families), empowering them to succeed.”
A donation of canned goods and cereal was gifted to the Hamilton Night Shelter in another Big Give and will help people who are transitioning into permanent accommodation with some food to add to their start-up kits. The group also assisted with a community lunch at St Mary’s Church in Hamilton Eastand student Kelly Sunderland-Wells says it was a good experience and she enjoyed meeting the people involved. “It was a different experience, rewarding and interesting meeting the people we were helping. It made me realise that it’s not just about giving money or things, it’s also about spending time with people.”
Children and families in the Children’s wards at Waikato Hospital received gift bags containing essential toiletries to help get them through their unexpected stay in hospital. Student Zoey Pointon says that that giving back to these families made her feel like she’s doing something helpful. “I know what it’s like to be in or have loved ones in hospital and seeing the smiles of appreciation on these families faces was heart warming, I hope we helped to brighten their day”.
Project K Graduates Inspiring Young People
Eleven young people from Fraser High School have graduated from the 2011-2012 Project K programme. The graduation ceremony was held at the Wintec Bill Gallagher Hub in July with nearly 100 guests attending.
Students shared their inspirational stories of achievements and personal changes in their attitudes and confidence with their family, friends, mentors and supporters of FYD Waikato and Project K.
Graduates Alisha Apiti and TeTawhero Williams showed everyone just how confident they have become over the past 14 months taking the role as co-master of ceremony for the evening and nailing it! It was amazing to see the ease of confidence these two young people had.
The speeches were largely around the students experience with their mentor of 12 months, the highlight of many of the students three part Project K programme which also includes a Wilderness Adventure and Community Challenge, whom they have now become close friends with.
Congratulations to our graduates and a BIG thank you to our mentors who supported our Project K students.
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