Parnell Trust Injects A ‘Wow’ Factor

Parnell Trust Injects A ‘Wow’ Factor
Into School Holiday Programmes

It’s not a matter of what to do now the summer school holidays are under way – it’s more a case of having to choose between fun, cool and funky activities at Parnell Trust’s School Holiday Programme based at Parnell District School.

FIVE UP; ROCK ON; BUSINESS FOR KIDS; SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY – you can tell by the names that these aren’t your regular fill-in-a-few-hours kind of school holiday programmes. They are full of memorable and challenging activities that stimulate children’s minds and have them coming back for more.

The PARNELL TRUST SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME is an exciting mix of programmes catering to the many and varied interests of children aged five to 14 from throughout the Auckland region.

The not-for-profit charitable trust, Parnell Trust, founded a programme of holiday activities more than 15 years ago and these days its eclectic and exciting range of options are high on the holiday time wish list for many of Auckland’s youngsters.

To engage children of different tastes and physical abilities, the recreational programme FIVE UP caters for children five years and older every weekday, (apart from public holidays) between Monday, January 7 and Friday, February 1. Every activity has a surprising twist, often involving the children making something of their own – from puppets to mash potato sculptures and rope ladders.

Four special programmes are running for older children (nine to 14) between January 14 and February 1:

 The SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY programme’s DIGITAL MUSIC EXPLORER module from Monday January 14 and Friday, January 18.

 The SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY programme’s URBAN EXPLORER module from Tuesday, January 29 to Friday
February 1.

 The popular daily recreational programme ROCK ON will keep students on their toes in the fortnight between Monday, January 21 and Friday, February 1. More than just entertainment, participants enjoy experiences beyond the ordinary.

 -And the outstanding BUSINESS FOR KIDS module will be in full swing from Monday, January 21 to Friday, January 25.

One of the highlights of the school holiday programme this year is the opportunity for children to train with the HARVEY NORMAN NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS basketball team at North Shore Events Centre on January 30. Both the Five up and the Rock On groups will have a chance to watch the Breakers’ professional training session – plus receive a free ticket to a NZ Breakers game.

Classes were booked out for the extraordinary SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY programme when it launched in New Zealand during the 2006-07 summer school holidays. Designed by IBM and Tufts University in Boston, the programme challenges and educates its young participants and engages them with hands-on experience of robots and digital media. Parnell Trust won a highly competitive tender to operate this programme in New Zealand.

In this year’s SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY programme, students participating in the DIGITAL MUSICAL EXPLORER module will make a variety of real musical instruments and use computers to sample and combine tones to create music. The URBAN EXPLORER module will challenge children to create a city using robotics to build moving cranes, skyscrapers, bridges and public transport.

In the other special-interest programme for older children, BUSINESS FOR KIDS, students will be given a hands-on introduction to commerce. This educational programme, developed by the Enterprise New Zealand Trust, aims to provide youngsters with real-life business scenarios – while encouraging them to have fun. Activities include designing a product and giving a sales presentation at a Market Day on January 24.

Children from all parts of Auckland attend Parnell Trust’s School Holiday Programme – some live locally and others are transported to the activities by family who work in central Auckland. Children can join in a whole week’s fun (or more), or just the occasional day. Bookings are open now, and prices start at $42 (pre-paid) or $47 (paid on the day) per day.

There are a limited number of places on the week-long SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY and BUSINESS FOR KIDS programmes, so early enrolment is essential. Rates for these programmes, together with further information on the FIVE UP and ROCK ON programmes, is available at www.parnell.org.nz, by phoning 09 379 2095 x 9724 or by email to pfc@parnell.org.nz

Parnell Trust offers programmes and services for the Parnell, Newmarket and Grafton districts, and aims to build a strong sense of community in the area.

Please see attached for some specific highlights of daily activities throughout the upcoming School Holiday Programme.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS SENT TO YOU BY PARNELL TRUST, AUCKLAND.

ENDS

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