Flipping good fun for Mana ‘elders’
Ready for challenges
Before school began for the year, 20 year 12 and 13 students from Mana College spent a day at Forest Lakes on a leadership training programme to prepare them for roles as ‘tuakana’ (elders) within the college this year.
The group included head boy Jesse Kirikino, head girl Nikita Beddie, and deputy head students Pouaka Parore and Georgia Flint. All students involved were elected as leaders by staff and students at the college.
The group took part in several challenges at Forest Lakes, while learning about and trialling different leadership styles. Teams elected different leaders for each challenge, so all students got a chance to practise their skills.
The challenges included balancing eight people onto a small drum, searching for a bike in a swamp, crossing an unstable rope bridge, building a floating bridge and the highlight of the day – flipping an old car down a bank and then pulling it back up.
Some water activities in the afternoon, following a barbecue lunch, gave the students a chance to cool down after the physically challenging morning.
Now back at Mana, the students have begun their roles as tuakana alongside their NCEA studies and are looking forward to the challenges ahead.
Planning is already underway for running activi- ties for junior students throughout the year. Future leadership training days are planned for later in the year also.