Kitty McKinley will recive an honour from the Governor General of New Zealand on 14 April. Challenge 2000 is throwing her a simple party, Friday 15 April, to celebrate this very important recognition. Join us at Connolly Hall 5:30 – 8:30pm.
GAP YEAR 2011
GAP YEAR 2011!
Overview
In 2011 Challenge 2000 and the Society of Mary are again offering a Gap Year programme for young people in between College and their next step – work, study, or uni. This full time project involves NZQA training, work experience and placement in a community agency that supports participants career aspirations and future realities. During the Gap Year participants will build up each of the elements required for a balanced life: Work, Social, Personal, Spiritual, Intellectual and Physical dimensions. This yearly programme is exciting and rewarding and makes a big difference both to the participants and those they get a chance to serve. If you are interested find out more now……
So what do our Gap participants think about it so far!!
Talofa lava my name is Andrew Solomona. I am originally from Auckland and have come down to Wellington to take part in the Challenge 2000 Marist Gap Year programme. So far this experience and the opportunities that I have been given have been tremendously rewarding. During my first week at Challenge I was fortunate enough to attend a Social Justice hui where people working in different sorts of Justice fields spoke about how they are doing their bit to make a difference – it was a great learning experience.
The following week I helped with the Saint Patrick’s College Silverstream retreat, which gave me an insight into what it is like to be a leader and role model for young males. Through this I gained many leadership skills with the help of Andy Murray, James Van Schie and Heath Hutton. One of the nights on the retreat we had inspirational speakers share with us, two of these were Tim Duckworth and Matt Crawford. These talks really challenged me and opened my eyes to a number of issues we have in our world today. The next week I and the other five Gap students were lucky enough to spend three days in Kuratau on a camp lead by Kitty and Andy. These days were packed with adventure and reflective discussions. During this first term I have also helped out on a four day camp and also have worked on missions – doing things like building fences, chopping fire wood and doing lawns for older people. We also have lots of talks and have also gone around seeing great things in Wellington – it has been really awesome. This Gap Year programme is the best thing that ever happened to me and there’s a lot left to experience.
My name is Alivia Bowe and I am part of the Gap year programme at Challenge 2000. I have come from New Plymouth and have recently moved down to Wellington to become part of the Challenge team. During my first term at C2K I have been fortunate enough to help run a girls group at Porirua College and help the School Social Worker out at Bishop Viard College. I regularly visit an elderly lady and do odd jobs for her like supermarket shopping or pick up extra medication for her. I have also been organising and running sports games at Newlands Community Centre every Monday afternoon. Each of these have been a real eye opener for me as all of this is a new experience. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year and cannot wait for what lies ahead!
Interested in finding out more?
Contact Kitty McKinley at Challenge 2000: Phone: (04) 477 6827
Email: challenge2000@xtra.co.nz
Vodafone World of Difference Awards
Challenge 2000’s James van Schie was presented with a Vodafone World of Difference Gem Award at Parliament House on Tuesday 23 November. The award was presented by the Hon Paula Bennett, Minister of Social Development, Employment, and Youth Affairs.
James receiving the Vodafone World of Difference Gem Award.
The Gem award will pay James’ salary for a period of 3 months. During this time, James hopes to develop and implement a fundraising plan that secures Challenge’s long term sustainability.
James is pretty excited about the opportunity. “I am really looking forward to this project. Challenge offers a unique and critical service to young people and their families and I am chuffed to be able to help this continue.”
If you encounter James any time soon don’t be surprised or offended if he talks to you about a donation.
On the subject, would you like to make a donation to Challenge 2000? Click here to help.
Term 3 Holidays
Sports Day
The third day of our school holiday programme involved team sports, beginning with a game of softball at Newlands Park. The ground was very soft and we all waited with anticipation to see who would be the first to slide into base and make a mess of their clothes! Everyone was very reserved however, and we all stayed clean — during the softball game anyway!
After a snack we made our way to some firmer ground to play non-stop cricket. An entertaining impromptu game of four square began as well. What a fantastic way to spend a lovely fine Wellington afternoon!
Trudi
Wearable Arts
The World of Wearable Arts Awards Show that was running in Wellington inspired the second day of our holiday programme at Newlands Community Centre.
We formed three teams that were given a special motto each: Jungle, Ocean and Desert. The teams had to create an outfit representing their motto.
We provided various resources containing recyclable rubbish (e.g. empty milk containers, cans, toilet paper rolls, old shirts and sheets, newspaper, rubbish bags, plastic containers) and craft materials (as tissue and crepe paper, paint, glue, wire, tape, and cotton wool). After having had a look at the material, the teams designed their costumes by making sketches before they actually started creating their masterpieces.
Once we had finished the costumes it was time for a fashion show! The models showing off the creations went on stage accompanied by the rest of their team who gave a short explanation. “Team Desert” produced the costume of a tribal warrior hunting for a desert bunny with a spear. “Team Jungle” designed the look of a jungle boy wearing a hat with a magic snake. “Team Ocean” came up with a dolphin dress and an appeal for environmental awareness.
All the participants came up with amazing ideas and showed a lot of creativity in creating wearable art!
Tabea & Stef
Beach Day
On the second week of the school holidays, we went to Titahi Bay Beach to swim and play in the sand. We began with a game of beach volleyball, inspired by some kind person leaving a net partially erected on the beach. Some awesome skills were shown before the breeze picked up and kept blowing our ball away.
A few of the braver members of the group took a dip in the sea while others played in the sand before we went in search of lunch. Once again we were blessed with a beautifully sunny spring day.
Trudi
Challenge College
TERM 3
WOW! We had an excellent, eventful and quite successful term 3!
Key achievements this term were: fundraising and donating $175.00 to the Kenbe La Foundation – The Source of Hope School — as part of our community focus projects, a Luncheon for invited guests, and school Camp!
COMMUNITY FOCUS
The aim of our Community Focus Friday afternoons was to allow the students to think/look outside themselves at other people within our community. Not just the community we live in, but our community as a city, as a nation and as part of the global community.
HAITI PROJECT
How did the students achieve success in fundraising $175.00? By hard work on the part of the students, the staff, and people/organisations within our community. The idea came about at the start of Term 3, when we were researching Haiti and the effects of the devastating earthquake in January. We took particular interest in the story of Emily Sanson-Rejouis, who lost her husband and two of her three daughters. Part of her healing was to have her husband’s dream of a school for the impoverished young people of Haiti built.
We had a sausage sizzle – and thanks to Mitre 10 Mega Petone for letting us have our sausage sizzle there and to Brumby’s in Johnsonville for donating many loaves of bread … and also our Challenge College Principal who paid for the other resources to ensure that the money we raised all went towards our goal. The students did a fabulous job, and did themselves and Challenge College proud.
The other fundraising event was our performance of a 15 minute version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The students were outstanding, even though they had stepped well out of their comfort zone. And the audience were further entertained with a performance from one of our students, an up & coming rap artist – Tyler, also known as Ty-1. Family, friends and Challenge 2000 staff came along to support the students, making at least a gold coin donation at the door to help in our Haiti fundraising efforts.
Class Reps making the Donation for The Source of Hope School.
LUNCHEON
As part of the students’ think/look outside ourselves initiative, we thought it would be good to give back to those who love and support us. So the students each invited a family member or a Challenge 2000 staff member to a lunch that they planned, prepared and cooked. During term 3, the students had been involved in cooking classes and used some of the recipes they had learnt. The menu consisted of sushi, chicken pie and salad, chocolate cake, butterscotch sauce and ice cream for dessert.
Each student invited someone and all did their part to help prepare, cook and serve the meal to their guests – a great effort by all of the students.
CAMP
The students were dubious about the prospect of the unfamiliar and unknown – will there be power? Will there be a flushable toilet? Will we have cell phone coverage? Just a few of the questions asked when camp was mentioned!
Trying to get close enough to take a photo
We travelled in the van over the Rimutaka ranges to Greytown, then headed inland to our home for the next three days and two nights. To many people’s delight we had a roof, four walls, running hot and cold water and flushing toilets! We set up, unpacked and then headed to experience, some for the first time, a dairy farm near Masterton. The weather was horrible and made things a little unpleasant! After a swim at the Masterton pool Andy organised a lovely ‘bush tucker’ dinner of sausages, veges and potatoes, before we all readied ourselves for bed and ‘camp fire’! Since the weather was still not being kind to us, a torch lantern in the middle of the floor had to suffice as our ‘camp fire’. We told stories and Andy introduced us to ‘Cedric’ the local boogie man!
Fine weather the next day saw us travelling to Cape Palliser to see the largest colony of seals in the North Island and then climbing 258 steps to the light house. All of us made it to the top. After lunch we practised our waiata for our visit to Papawai Marae. We all enjoyed our marae experience and learnt a lot! Then Andy took the boys to collect fire wood so we could have a real camp fire that night, while the girls had a good gossip over dinner preparations.
Dinner was eaten with the camp fire raging, and it didn’t matter where we moved — the wind would change and send the smoke to us! Our camp fire Leader Andy, with helper Jeff, prepped the fire for marshmellow roasting, at which we all had a go. Some were natural talents, others needed a bit of coaching from Andy. Before bed we each shared our highlight for the day.
Last day of camp, and the weather was still good. Breakfast, pack up, tidy up, ready to return home after lunch. The driving range before lunch was a blast! There were some students who were good, one hitting the ball over 150m, while two of the staff members hit it past 200m!
Then clean up, load up and finish off our camp with a thought from each participant on how they felt about camp. Such an amazing experience was the consensus of all and the students were asking to stay longer, or at least have another camp in Term 4!
Snow fight begins…
Because it had snowed the night before we stopped at the top of the Rimutaka hills and had a snow fight – the first time for some of the students! Then we were back at Challenge College. What a great time we had!
Snow fight continues…
Romeo & Juliet
Challenge College’s last Haiti Fundraising Event
Tuesday, September 14th was a very exciting day for everyone involved in Challenge College: the stage at Newlands Community Centre turned into Verona Mall and the students and some staff members into Montagues and Capulets.
This term, Tuesday afternoons were — literally — all about drama!
Our project started in late July when the staff decided to stage a 15 minute version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Since it is quite hard to identify with the original characters and the ancient language, the students gave the play a modern touch by changing the lines using their own words. Rehearsals turned out to be more difficult than expected because we had to make several cast changes during the term.
Newlands Community Centre was the site of our last rehearsal and the performance. Everyone felt a little bit nervous and unsure about performing in front of the audience. At 1.30 the last guests – students’ families, Challenge 2000 staff members, a representative of the City Council and one from the Vodafone Foundation – arrived. We were pleased and relieved that our performance was so good, and so well received by the audience.
After that, our student Tyler, also known as Ty-1, impressed the audience by performing a few rap songs.
This term’s community work has been about getting the students at Challenge College to look outside of themselves and think of the community – from Johnsonville, to Wellington, New Zealand and globally! Our main focus on this theme has been to raise funds in support of the Kenbe La Foundation Source of Hope School in Haiti. We researched the tragedy and devastation the earthquake caused in Haiti, specifically looking at the story of Emily Sanson-Rejouis. The students got behind the idea of raising money to help the impoverished young people of Haiti get an education – we had a sausage sizzle, and as part of their other studies this term performed an extract from Romeo & Juliet which seemed to be a good way to raise even more money. Those that came to support were great, some even giving more than a gold coin entry fee to help us surpass our fundraising goal!
We are so proud of our students and we want to thank them for getting up on the stage even if it made them feel uncomfortable!
Tabea and Steffi
Gap Year
September 2010
Kevin
Hi, my name is Kevin and I’m one of the eight young people on a GAP year at Challenge 2000 this year. During the week I spend three days doing tutoring and doing recreation at Challenge College. I enjoy it because I have been able to help the students with work that they struggle with. I have also enjoyed it by being able to attend their field trips and it has opened my eyes to a whole new way of seeing things. But the best part of helping at the College is all the new people that I have gotten to know there, whether it is staff or students. It’s good to be doing something that helps other people and also teaches me something.
Kirsty
Hello, my name is Kirsty and I moved down from Auckland this year to participate in the Challenge GAP programme. One of the many things that I do is support the young people at the Newlands Community Centre drop-in/opt-in programmes after school from 3-5pm. We try to provide a positive, energetic environment in which the local youth of the community can enjoy opt-in options such as drama, sports or art days or just chill out playing table tennis, basketball or touch instead of hanging around bored or causing trouble at the local shops. The youth get to form many friendships and develop themselves in a safe environment. I enjoy seeing the youth all interact with each other and take pride in being part of the local community. I’m also doing a Youth Work Certificate and its great to see the Youth Development Strategy stuff actually working in practice.
Hutana
Kia ora, my name is Hutana and I am an ex Rongotai College man. As part of the GAP year myself and two other GAP participants are going to the Phillipines for our month long placement. During my visit to the Philippines I expect that my preconceived notions of how the world works and how things will be there, will be greatly challenged by what I see and experience. On our itinerary is a trip to a local mental hospital, and I have no doubt that this, among other things, will be a hugely harrowing experience for all of us. As well as this, however, I expect that it will be a journey of self discovery and development for us all. Watch this space in October – I can say more then.
Breaking News!
Alternative Education
It was wonderful to see a news release on September 1 from Anne Tolley and Pita Sharples that there will be an increase in Alternative Education Funding for 2011.
Challenge College has always been fortunate to have a registered teacher and have struggled financially to make ends meet. This is a great start towards meeting the needs of young New Zealanders who deserve and must have the right to a good education.
It is better that they are supported to address their difficulties at adolescence rather than being incarcerated at young adulthood.
Sadly it is true that most prison inmates left college before Year 11 – lets continue to act and put the ambulance nearer the bottom of the cliff! Education is the Key.
Compass Youth Camp
From Friday the 6th of August to Sunday the 8th of August, with the help of St Anne’s – Newtown Parish, 16 staff members and volunteers from Challenge 2000 ran an amazing youth camp for 30 young people between the ages of 12 and 17 from the Newtown ‘Compass’ and the Johnsonville ‘Emerge’ youth groups. You can imagine the excitement as we set out for Forest Lakes Camping and Conference Centre in a convoy of 3 vans and 2 cars on Friday evening.
The theme of the camp was ‘Stand up’, dealing with such topics as personal development, getting to know each other and gaining new experiences. The young people were encouraged to hand in their phones as a way to involve themselves completely in the weekend process. Most participants handed in their ‘phones and by the end of the camp were making comments on how good it was to not have to worry about their phones and how they even forgot about them … although as soon as they got them back most were fully engaged on the phones all the way home!
Saturday morning peace was shattered by rowdy girls in colourful headbands and gym gear singing; and in the boys’ cabin, a killer rooster noise somewhat akin to the cry of a werewolf! By 8am everyone was in the gym and really getting into the early morning Zumba class – yes the craze made it all the way to our camp!
The first session of input was on self: the theme of camp was introduced, we listened to the Feelers’ song ‘Stand up’, and some of the leaders shared personal stories of when they had to stand up. There was genuine openness and honesty in the group sharing.
Other activities in the course of the day included the flying fox, volleyball, bowling, music, card games and the very fun but very messy mud slide. The evening session was on faith and spirituality, led by Fr Tim Duckworth S.M.; then we spoke about ourselves and about the people for whom and the things for which we are thankful l. It was a truly inspirational session in which there was a faith-filled depth of sharing.
On Sunday morning we had team challenges! The camp was split in four groups and each had to complete 10 missions given to them and present them at the concert later that day. Some of the missions consisted of coming up with a play about a saint in Soap opera, sci-fi or kung fu genre, creating a team name, chant and banner. It was hilarious and very entertaining!
After this and lunch our camp came to a close and 46 very happy, tired and awesome people headed for home with wonderful memories, dirty clothes and new found friendships. Stand up? Yes, we did!
Jerusalem Trip 2010
On Sunday 20th June 2010 Steve Tamarapa, Anh-Dao Pham, Luke Collins, Manu Maihi-Ioane, Sherrie Wharewaka and Kirsty Leedom headed up the Whanganui River to Jerusalem, staying at St Joseph’s Convent. We were there to put on a week of activities for the 16 students (from 6 to 12 years old) at the Whanganui Awa School. The other groups staying in Jerusalem at the time were a theatre performing group, a film crew and a Brazilian back packer. We fitted in very well!
Activities in the course of the week included endless rounds of bang, jockeys up and grandma’s keys; the girls helping the children with their school work and the guys helping out at the convent doing odds jobs for the sisters; and a mini world cup (gumboot throwing, skipping, a puzzle hut and multiple relays).
Towards the end of the week we wrote affirmations for each of the children to help them be aware of their talents and to make them feel special. These were presented to the children on Friday. They, in turn, gave us cards of appreciation that they had made.
The five days spent with the awesome students were nothing short of exhausting with the endless piggy back rides, bull rush games and kids pulling us in all directions wanting to show us things; it was exhilarating, though, to see the energy, enthusiasm and curiosity of these kids. All of us will remember the experience with delight.
Kirsty Leedom