Seventy students from Mount Aspiring College and Dunstan High School spent Monday’s (August 16) teacher-only day volunteering in the community in an initiative organised with Volunteer South-Central Lakes.

MAC students pitched in within the community in a range of ways, from stripping computers for e-cycling at Wastebusters to offering office and marketing support at local non-profits, and helping primary schools with varied projects.

Elmslie House activities coordinator Briar Merrett said a group of MAC students spent the morning serving tea, playing bocce ball and making stickers to brighten residents’ rooms.

Year 8 students Jacob Toomey and Ethan Highsted (front); Conner Eley and Ben Bankshaw (behind) accumulating hours for their William Pike Challenge service component with Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust. PHOTO: Supplied

“The residents love having people in,” Briar said. “They think it’s very impressive that young people give up their time when they could have been at home,”

Nikita Sinclair volunteers at Elmslie House every Wednesday and said she hopes the initiative will help students to see the benefits of volunteering more often.

“It’s good to give your time back to people,” she told the Wanaka App. “The residents are so sweet and they give you really good life advice.”.

MAC students Holly Ingham, Nathan Beeton, Alex Hewson, Nikita Sinclair and Grace Thomas at Elmslie House retirement home. PHOTO: Wanaka App

At Wastebusters, year 12 student Liam Williamson spent his time dismantling computers and stripping them down ready to be recycled.

“My mum told me about the opportunity and I thought it sounded cool. I haven’t volunteered before but I’m interested in computers and thought it would be cool, so I signed up to help,” Liam said.

Staff at Wanaka Primary School said they were thrilled to have a group of seven students help prepare the land for a new ‘Garden to Table’ project. 

Students at Wanaka Primary School helping with the ‘Garden to Table’ project. PHOTO: MAC volunteer Nina Lee Smith

Students battled the elements, removing tussocks and plants ready for replanting, teacher Debbie Kaye said.

“The MAC students were absolutely outstanding,” she said.

Carter Hewson (year 12) PHOTO: Supplied

The Volunteer South-Central Lakes and Dunstan High School volunteering partnership initiative has taken place three times previously but Monday’s event was the first to incorporate MAC students.

“With such a positive outcome in Alexandra, we wanted to offer the initiative and support to other schools and Mount Aspiring College were keen to take part,” Volunteer South connections coordinator Kirsty Miles said.

“We are thrilled to have such a good number of students put their hands up to volunteer and showing a real interest in supporting the community that has given them so much.”