We were so very lucky to be one of five recipients of a $10,000 outside classroom makeover in 2019.  We won the TREEmendous competition which is an initiative about encouraging environmental education in schools, along with teaching children and the wider community about the importance of caring for the environment.

On March 23rd, the community got together and on a fine Saturday morning, we planted over 700 native and wetland plants, and surrounded them with over two truck loads worth of mulch.  

The event and planting was a team effort, with members of the school, other community members, Mazda Foundation Trustees and the team from Project Crimson as well as Mazda Ambassadors, Riley Elliott, Boh Runga and Ruud Kleinpaste all pitching in to help out.

After a hard day’s work, the whole crew was treated to a well-deserved BBQ thanks to Four Square Coromandel.

This will enable us to use the area as a natural learning space and we hope it will help the aquatic animals such as inanga (whitebait) to thrive as they once used to. This learnscape will be used throughout all curriculum areas, to learn about nature, study the biology of plants and insects, and help develop sustainable environmental practices.  

As part of this project we were also very privileged to have two amazing environmentalists come to our school on 22nd March, and present to our students and staff.  Ruud Kleinpaste & Riley Elliot captivated the students with their bugs and shark presentations.  

Riley is all about bringing local awareness, and adding, to the global momentum of interest in improving our world for the future. His focus is on researching NZ Sharks, and most importantly, their crucial role in holding the marine ecosystem stable.  

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