The māra kai or garden at Waihī Beach School is a space where students, staff and volunteers play a part in helping things grow.
Principal Rachael Coll told The Profile it was all about students “being in the environment” so they could learn to love it and learn to look after it.
“They get to have that hands-on, real-life experience within it.”
Student groups, guided by their teacher and a volunteer helper, get to work in the garden every Friday, Rachael said.
Pumpkins, potatoes and kumara were some of the vegetables the students had grown, which were now ready to be harvested, she said.
Students also made salads for their school pōwhiri, and baked for different events based on what was in the garden, she said.
But now the school of passionate young gardeners has an opportunity to further nurture their māra kai through the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s School Sustainability and Resilience Fund 2025.
Waihī Beach School is now in the running to receive funding for a rainwater collection tank and irrigation system.
In the school’s application, they said they would like to install a rainwater collection tank to support the growing of fruit and vegetables within their māra kai.
“Using fresh water is much better for overall soil and plant health.
“Further, by connecting the tank to a gravity-fed irrigation system, we can water our garden when we are not there e.g. during school holidays and non-gardening days,” they said.
But the school community needs the support of people to help place a quick vote for the school online.
Supporters can vote for the school at www.participate.boprc.govt.nz/ssrf, where each voter receives a virtual wallet of $35,000 to allocate toward the projects they would like to see funded before the vote deadline on May 9.
DETAILS: Visit www.participate.boprc.govt.nz/ssrf to vote.
