Te Puna Community Kindergarten had a special moment of celebration recently, as they came together with whānau and community to acknowledge the mahi they have been doing in the Enviroschools space over the past year.
The following story has been shared by Ellen White, Head Teacher:
For us as an Enviroschools kindergarten, it is much more than simply picking up rubbish from Papatūānuku (although our tamariki can tell you all about that!).
For us it is about embracing sustainability, culture, diversity, empowerment and community. Over the past year, the teaching team has been exploring the question: “ In what ways are the five Enviroschools Guiding Principles (Respect for Diversity, Empowered Learners, Learning for Sustainability, Sustainable Communities, and Honouring Te Ao Māori) integrated in our Places (Wāhi), Practices (Tikanga), Programmes (Kaupapa Ako) and People and Participation (Tangata)?“
As we each delved deeply into our own investigations, we discovered areas where we were doing well and areas that we wanted to explore further.
One of these areas was having a vegetable garden. For a long time, we have been planning with whānau, tamariki, and the teaching team about what we would need to create a thriving vegetable garden. Consultation took place, plans were drawn and soon we had a clear vision. But what were we going to build it from? Our aim was to use recycled materials.
Kopi That Construction provided the design of the garden area
Donated posts for the garden beds
One of our dads, Adam, came in with an idea to use old kiwifruit posts. We contacted the Takitimu North Link Project, and Carmel, their communications Manager, had exactly what we needed. They provided old posts and fencing and arranged for them to be delivered to us. A member of our community, Debbie, also donated some posts, and we were able to reuse corrugated iron from Dave’s shed project. We now had all the materials needed to build wonderful garden beds from resources that might otherwise end up in landfill.
Kopi from Kopi That Construction gave us a fantastic quote and design to build the garden, and during the second week of June, under the watchful gaze of the children, the garden beds were constructed.
Official opening of the garden area
On 16 June, Te Puna Kindergarten was visited by our Enviroschools leaders, who presented us with our certificate in recognition of our mahi. Officially we opened the vegetable garden area, alongside our amazing whānau, and our rangatira who opened the hui with a whakataukī and karakia. Together, we then cut the ribbon as one community, ready for all the learning, growing, and fun that lies ahead.
Presentation from Enviroschools leaders, in recognition of the mahi that has taken place
We would like to thank everyone who has been part of this journey with us, from the Takitimu North Link Project, Debbie and Dave for their donation of posts and iron, to the whānau and tamariki who contributed ideas, plans, and seeds that we will soon begin to grow.
This has truly been a community project, and we are excited to see the garden flourish for years to come.
Ellen White
Head teacher
Inspired Kindergartens