Te Hononga Puna Reo
Nga Hau E Wha Te Kohanga Reo
Pukekohe North School
53 Graduate in Combined CIH Ceremony
4 November 2011
Nga Hau E Wha Marae, Pukekohe
"I haven't even started the course yet but I feel
like my life's on a different track already"
From that first meeting ...
I returned a couple weeks later with fellow coordinator Sue Kini to meet the whanau from 4 different schools at a combined gathering hosted by Pukekohe North School. The turnout was excellent - and after an initial in-depth question and answer session - the sign-ups were numerous.
At the meeting we confirmed our trainers for the project - Raemon Matene and Denise Proctor. A plan was made and with excitement the project began! Pukekohe North were keen to host with a suite of over 20 computers - things looked great!
A short while into the training - everything changed and we decided the best way to keep the fire going was to install a training pod at the Puna Reo! What a rush! Every family participant in the project training there in well planned sessions AND enjoying every minute of it!
We even had speaker phone sessions where Denise and the class would be asking a host of questions by phone. They would take these sessions and instigate their own researches.
One thing about Pukekohe is the number of families that were waiting to be part of the project. Unfortunately, we just couldn't take them all on.
Graduation day finally rolled round and along with Hazel Jennings (2020 Communications Trust), Jackie Lawrence (The ARK), Dr. Paul Hutchinson (National MP) and all of the families - we gathered at Nga Hau E Wha Marae and celebrated with a powhiri, presentation and lunch.
Congratulations to all of our Pukekohe Graduates - I look forward to hearing the new things that your families will take on with this new tool. I wish you all prosperity in your new endeavours.
Thanks to our Tumuaki and Boards of Trustees that supported the Project ~
Gary Sweeney
Robyn Withers-Lauer
Denise Proctor
Raemon Matene
