Wairarapa

A Masterton school is leading the way with its unique programme that gets naughty kids back on track so that their natural leadership qualities become a positive influence instead of causing disruption and leading others astray. Lakeview School's efforts are being supported by the Eastern and Central Community Trust which is donating $5,000 donation for this year's pilot programme. The Community Trust says it is positive to see a school such as Lakeview taking on this challenge when other schools may be inclined to suspend or expel these young students.

Lakeview principal Ed Hodgkinson says the initiative, known as ‘Ka Rewa', has been devised by a joint community effort involving parents, staff, the school board of trustees and a relative newcomer and teacher aide to the school, Aiden Broughton. In a lucky break, following a cut in Ministry of Education funding to deal with difficult students, Mr Broughton, a qualified barrister and solicitor with a degree in psychology and criminology, arrived in Masterton to stay with relatives and wanting a career change. ‘Ka Rewa', which is part of a phrase meaning ‘a bird without feathers cannot fly' has now been tailored for boys aged between nine and 11 years old. “These kids are great kids and leaders of the future so we are trying to ensure they become positive leaders, find their strengths and shift their focus by working with them to set academic, social and cultural goals. “They're told often that they are a challenge and a problem kid so we want to help shift that focus,” says Mr Broughton.

While the Community Trust funding is providing initial support funding, the school is working to raise more money to ensure the pilot scheme continues. “We are already getting good response from the kids. Some are responding faster than others but we are already seeing less disruptive behaviour in the classroom. As they make academic progress, their classroom behaviour improves and we see them becoming more positive, natural leaders,” says Mr Broughton. The programme sets specific goals and timeframes for achievements and is initially involving about eight students. “As far as I know, this is unique to Lakeview and we are trying to show that this approach can be successful and get local iwi and other groups to recognise its value and to spread it wider,” he says.

The Community Trust has also approved a donation of $20,000 to Wings Over Wairarapa for the 2013 airshow, which costs around $800,000 to run. The Community Trust money provides the new trust, which has been set up to manage the biennial event, a foundation for further fundraising. The airshow was previously run by the New Zealand Sport and Vintage Aviator Society and income from the event was used to maintain and develop its base at the Hood Aerodrome and the George Hood Museum of Aviation.

Included in the list of other community donations this month are:

- $4,000 to the Featherston Rugby Club for playing gear, the YMCA for recreation equipment, Wairarapa Deerstalkers Association for roof and exterior painting and Wairarapa Resource Centre. The centre will operate from the Wairarapa Community Centre, selling second-hand clothing, homewares and furniture.

- $3,000 to the Greytown Rugby Club for kitchen improvements.