Community Service Team Project #3

Community service is all about good old-fashioned values such as 

hard work, discipline, and a positive and self-sacrificing attitude. 

Our two team community service days this term also made us draw upon our WPCA values: teamwork, enthusiasm... and a determination to not give up!

Leaving the classroom behind, we drove into the rural Auckland area to help out with a native tree planting project. The project is being partially funded by Auckland Council's Waterway Protection Fund and the native trees were being supplied by Te Whangai, whom we worked with last term. Te Whangai are special members of our Wesley school community, and one of their tree nursery bases is on our school site.

Our main role was clearing the land for planting. We developed an appreciation for the pioneers we read about in history as we carried branches of various sizes up the steep bank to build a pile for burning.

We found out that so much work has to be done before the natural taonga could be planted!

   

The teamwork and enthusiasm was impressive. The competitive natures of the students came out as they competed to find and carry  the heaviest and longest branches uphill. And there were some looooong branches, requiring 3-4 people to carry them up the narrow track. 

The two days were saturated with laughter, good-natured banter and hard work. 

And day two just happened to provide our hardest challenge so far! 

Check out the next blog entry for the story.