Latest news with #EastOtagoHighSchool
Otago Daily Times
04-08-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Pupils' art bringing cheer to cancer patients through Bags of Hope project
East Otago High School year 7 pupil Adam Brown and Carley Porter, both 12, display the bags they decorated for the Cancer Society. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Local secondary school students hope their art projects put a smile on cancer patients' faces. Cancer Society Coastal Otago community manager Suz Russell said the Bags of Hope project was about giving children the opportunity to give messages of hope to cancer patients. The bags were given to patients at Dunedin Hospital's oncology department to store their clothes while they had scans or chemotherapy. It helped them remember people were thinking about them, Ms Russell said. About 1500 bags were made for the hospital each year. Students at East Otago High School made about 100 bags. Art teacher Rachel Foster said the project was about sending encouragement and positivity to those with cancer. She asked the students to use bright colours and inspirational messages. Ms Foster said the project was powerful because it gave students' work a meaning that they could be proud of. Her father-in-law had cancer and seeing the decorative bags in the oncology department cheered him up. "It was lovely to see that kind of connection." Year 7 pupil Carley Porter said her art was about staying positive and making every day count. One of the messages on her bags read "Believe in Miracles" because anything was possible. She wanted to be as inspiring and positive as possible in an effort to make someone battling with cancer smile. Carley's classmate Adam Brown made a painting with lots of balloons floating away. He said it was about letting go of your problems and letting them fly away like balloons. His message was to never give up and to enjoy everything.
Otago Daily Times
17-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Matariki theme for gathering
Five schools from across East Otago yesterday gathered for a day full of food and activities in the spirit of Matariki. East Otago High School had guests from Hampden, Palmerston, Waikouaiti and Karitane schools on campus. East Otago High School student Arabella Hagan (left) helps Palmerston School pupils Ivy Higgins and Alisha Porter, both aged 10, arrange hokey pokey stars into the Matariki cluster at East Otago High School yesterday. PHOTOS: GERARD O'BRIEN Principal Helen Newcombe said a big aspect of Matariki was remembering the year gone by and also to gather and share food. She said yesterday was a good opportunity for the primary school pupils to have look at the campus. Waikouaiti School pupil Penny Powell, 11, sprints past Ria Heckler, 11, of Palmerston School during a game of MĀori ball game ki-o-rahi at East Otago High School yesterday. It also gave the senior students a chance to show off their leadership skills and lead activities around the school. Each East Otago student looked after a group of 10 primary school pupils during the day, playing Māori ball game ki-o-rahi, baking and making booklets about the Māori New Year. The East Otago High School kapa haka group performs at the start of Matariki-related activities at the school yesterday. Ms Newcombe said the day provided a good opportunity for teachers and students to collaborate. "There is so much we can all learn from each other," she said.
Otago Daily Times
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Road safety central to upcoming events
Road Safety Education RYDA South Island programme co-ordinator Liona Stanicich speaks during the RYDA Road Safety day in Oamaru last year. PHOTO: NIC DUFF Responsible road users are safe road users. That is the message to children and parents alike as Road Safety Education brings two workshops to Oamaru next week. During the day, they will run Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) for high school year 12 students and then a Drive Coach workshop for parents. Waitaki Boys' and Girls High Schools alongside East Otago High School and other 16 to 19-year-olds not in school will take part. The Drive Coach workshop is a free event for anyone teaching someone else to drive, South Island programme co-ordinator Liona Stanicich said. "It's designed for parents or whanau whose children are learning to drive or on their restricted." The objective is to teach them how the teenage brain works and the best ways to get their children to be safe and responsible on the road. It was important for parents to be modelling good driving habits to their children. "As an older driver, we don't actually realise the bad habits that we have obtained that they will pick up on. "[Parents] don't really realise that from the moment your child was in the car seat, they have picked up on everything that you do. "The role modelling from an early age, they're like little sponges." The Rotary Club of Oamaru members have volunteered to help at the daytime RYDA event. Ms Stanicich was very thankful for all their help and to the Waitaki District Council for assisting with the day as well. The Drive Coach workshop is at 5.30pm on April 30 at the Athletic Marist Rugby Club.
