Graduating students leave gift to their primary school

Year 6 students of the Waitākiri School in Christchurch celebrated their graduation with a gift of orange trees for their younger peers.

The activity is part of the Graduation Project, an annual community initiative by Bunnings Warehouse that supports local primary schools throughout Aotearoa with a contribution to the school grounds and student education. The graduating class of 2022 had the option of selecting a buddy bench or trees as their gift to the school.

Waitākiri School’s graduating students were supported by their local store, Bunnings Shirley. The students got their hands dirty on the day, digging holes and planting new trees for their school. Team Members from Bunnings Shirley worked alongside the students to teach them the correct way to plant the trees in the school orchard.

“The orange trees have been a nice addition to the school orchard and will help teach the students life-long skills like gardening and living sustainably,” said Kim Hillson, Personal Assistant to the Principal at Waitākiri School. "The staff and students are excited to see the new orange the trees grow, and one day the students will be able to enjoy fruit they’ve picked from the garden. We also have a Pātaka Kai (pantry) where families can access food if they need it. The project has been a lot of fun for the students and we're looking forward to nurturing the trees as they grow."