Last week at Cromwell Primary School was all about having fun, and giving back to the community.
Year 6 in particular, as they move from being the senior leaders of their school to the juniors at Cromwell College, have had a busy and memorable week of activities.
On Tuesday, they were off to Highlands Motorsport Park for the annual go-carts Battle of the Year 6’s with Goldfields Primary School, kindly sponsored by Highlands.
Wednesday meant a fun time at the newly-located Kiwi Water Park at Lowburn Harbour, and then Thursday was a full-on, whole school Wellbeing Fun Day. This was partly funded from the Central Lakes Trust’s Wellbeing grant, but grew with the wonderful support of local businesses and the community.
Principal Wendy Brooks says,
“I was keen to give the children some fun. It has been a tough year, with two lockdowns and the subsequent restrictions on normal school activities. I am keen to acknowledge Contact Energy, who provided sausages, Night’n’Day for the potato chips, and the Cromwell Lions Club volunteers who cooked up 400 bags of chips and sausages for the children’s lunches.”
All students were offered a free Mr Whippy ice-cream.
Wendy used local businesses to provide for activities. There was a bouncy castle, bubble soccer, horizontal bungee, archery combat and human foosball for the senior students, while the juniors were provided with Loosey, the equipment trailer from Sports Central. The emphasis was on team building and supporting each other.
Students were asked to wear mufti, and to bring a can for the Cans for Carols fund. The Year 6 break-up ceremony was held outside, under Covid restrictions, with friends and families able to view on livestream.
On Friday, Wendy, deputy principal Danella Smallridge, caretaker Dave Ellis and Student Councillors climbed aboard a bus, and were off on their annual collection to the local early childhood centres. This collaboration with the ECE centres provides cans of food donated to the local food bank. At each stop, the children sing Christmas Carols.
By arranging this citizenship in action, Wendy reinforces the message,
“When we do good for others, we actually do good for ourselves as well.”
