It has been another exciting week of students making a difference in the community. We had a huge number of EOTC trips, Tuna Tank presentations, and connections made between people and places.
Kura Kai Volunteers
The Food Warriors had a rewarding and productive time volunteering at the Tzu Chi Foundation. There were five students involved: Tasmyn Marcroft, Blair Wang, Arya Bonn, Fraklin Soeun, and Ryan Ret. They worked together to pick buckets full of feijoas, helping to harvest fresh produce to take back to school. They contributed by cleaning and painting the fences around the perimeter to make the environment as welcoming as the kind people inside.
The foundation is primarily run by elderly volunteers, so having our students’ presence there meant a lot to them. They shared that they truly appreciated the help and are looking forward to more opportunities to work with our students again in the future. We believe experiences like this bring our students closer together and inspire them to continue helping others.
Conversation on the Stairs: Anna Britz
Anna Britz is a cultural psychologist who currently works at Queensland University. We were treated to a conversation on the Te Awanui stairs about everything from changing social norms, human-centered social action, and how to create safe, brave spaces when working with stakeholders. Anna also ran a focus group with students to seek their perspectives on gender norms and stereotypes in 2026. In the words of kaiako Brody Chapman, “A group of my manaakitanga students, possibly spurred on by the talk today, are working towards a mural that spreads awareness about equality within Rototuna High School.” Anna appreciated the openness and manaakitanga of our students and was so impressed with a student’s poem that she wants to publish it in an upcoming book! Watch this space for more collaborations and conversations!
