Abundant Life School students stay at Northtec

Abundant Life School students revel in week-long NorthTec experience

Eighteen students from Abundant Life School in Kaitaia have spent this week (subs 22-26 March) at NorthTec experiencing a range of subject areas including boatbuilding and automotive engineering and ‘living in’ on the Te Puna o te Matauranga marae at the Raumanga campus in Whangarei.

Abundant Life teacher Janet Muschamp said that the students have had a wonderful week and that the NorthTec tutors have had a wonderful approach to the students. “The students have been working hard during the day and usually have a treat at night-time such as going to the movies or the pool.”

Mrs Muschamp and eight of the students have spent the week making Waka Ama hoe. “It’s been awesome!” said student Saffron Hita. “We’ve never done anything like this before.”

Staying on the marae has been a great way to gain a new appreciation of the students, said Mrs Muschamp. “We’re eating together and learning to be tolerant and we have wonderful devotions at the end of each day. This morning I woke up to the sound of one of the students playing beautiful guitar. That kind of memory will stay with us all forever.”

Abundant Life teacher Jay Rupapera and NorthTec STAR coordinator Loraine Leslie organised the week.

“It’s wonderful to host the students from Abundant Life,” said Mrs Leslie. “The students are a real pleasure to have on campus and our staff have really enjoyed the week with them.”

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Dargaville, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

ENDS

© Scoop Media