WE'VE GONE WEST! COLWILL SCHOOL JOIN CIH!

Heading out to West Auckland was a sudden thing!  One of the schools was unable to begin and graduate their project before the end of our CIH year.  A phone call with Principal Rob Taylor, after a referral from one of our Steering Group members, lead to a whirlwind of acceptance and a flurry of papers being exchanged through the scanner and emails!

Rob leads Colwill School out in Massey and opens the door to Computers in Homes in that area.  This is one of the schools that is part of the 'Dental Hub - Community Hub' projects.  Remember those little dental clinics where we would take the long 'walk to the murderhouse' back in the days? ... yes, well ... good news! These buildings are being renovated and refurbished to become community training hubs for different programmes.  Colwill's Community Hub was complete by the time the project began in Term 2.

Brandon and I attended a Whanau Evening near the end of June - meeting a group of parents from Colwill and West Harbour School.  The BOT Chairperson Maggie Scelly was subtly coerced into being the trainer and Taylor Oades, the schools resident IT, became an assisting trainer.  They weren't left alone in this!  They were joined by the very hardcase Community Hub co-ordinator, Nicky Adams.

Graduation night rolled round on July 31 - capping the end of another successful year for Computers in Homes in Tamaki Rakau.  Thank you for the wonderful tautokos that absolutely lifted the project beyond computers.  Thank you for recognising the worth of relationships in your school and the community spirit that has drawn you all together to pursue more for yourselves and your whanau.

Stepping Up will be rolling out very soon and taking digital literacy to our senior community :)  Keep up the GREAT work Colwill!

OUT WEST WITH COLWILL on PhotoPeach

And a big thanks to Margaret for letting me take this shot for the blog ... 

"Over at last but so worth it"

OWAIRAKA DISTRICT SCHOOL CELEBRATE

If you haven't heard of Owairaka District School ... WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!  

I first met Principal Diana Tregoweth and BOT Trustee/Trainer Saga Frost at a CIH Presentation, held at Avondale Intermediate early in the year.  Before the end of the presentation they had indicated their interest in the project.  

It took a wee while to kick start the project out at Owairaka - they had a refurbishment project underway. However, as soon as we could, we hosted our Whanau evening at the school and it was very well attended. 
I love the rapport this school has built with its whanau.  There was lighthearted joking and many questions. There was a wonderful feeling of 'unity' in the room and so easily explained with the school's creed:  I can do it, you can do it and together we can achieve our goals.

Parents that participated in the Computers in Homes course also participated in Book of the Week by reading to a class within the school.  This was then recorded via digital media and became part of the graduation media presentation.  An excellent way for our whanau to use different forms of digital devices and report back!  

Graduation night was a splash of colour and lavishly set tables.  We were delighted to have Minister Jo Goodhew present, along with Di, to share encouragement and commendations through their kind words.  Absolutely must commend the Garden to Table programme in the school - the supper served was (for a large part) fresh from the school garden and cooked by student chefs!

Congratulations to our whanau at Owairaka District School.  Thank you Diana and thank you so much Saga - for welcoming us into the school and for continuing to engage our community out there.

Owairaka CIH Graduation 2013 - photo by Cara

Saga Frost, Minister Jo Goodhew and National Director Di Daniels - share an aside as they wait on the next recipient
Photo by Nikki Gemmell

   
  To see more of the photos taken on Graduation Night - please click HERE