Community and service – May 2025

Late 2024*

*Please note the use of 2024 year groups.

10ACEE Sustainability

As part of their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiative, two 10ACEE student groups delivered four cartons of fresh vegetables and a carton of muffins to St Ambrose Church in November, with the vegetables all grown on campus.

Year 9 Charity Challenge

Year 9 Dean, James Jenkinson, introduced the Charity Challenge in 2024, with each tutor group given $10.00 and tasked with turning it into as much money as possible, with the final amount to be donated to a good cause. The key was finding cheap resources that could be turned into products with a good profit margin. Ideas included turning horseshoes into various products, making lemonade concentrate, and large chocolate cookies. By the end of the year, students raised $1050, which they donated to Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand.

World Vision Advocacy Ambassador

Samuel Ferguson (Year 13) was selected as a World Vision Advocacy Ambassador for 2025. The role of an Advocacy Ambassador is to influence and inspire young adults to take action for legislative change in Aotearoa for the benefit of vulnerable children and their families. Samuel was chosen for the advocacy and leadership skills shown throughout his support of World Vision initiatives at St Andrew’s College.

Staff Community Service afternoon

In a new initiative for 2024, Secondary School teachers and Support Staff who were able, were involved in a Community Service afternoon, with several staff co-ordinating various activities for people to be involved in across the city. These included planting native trees for the College’s Eco-Action Nursery, sewing dresses for the Dress a Girl Around the World organisation, baking Christmas treats for over 600 primary school students involved in the Full Bellies programme, and helping at Waimairi School, Kairos Food Rescue, Clothed in Love, SPCA, and taking part in Avon River and beach clean ups. Mathematics teacher, Jon Fahlander, ran 45km in the heat to raise over $400 of funds for people in need.

2025

French Mardi Gras

A group of French students had the opportunity to sample a crêpe prepared by Madame Radcliffe, Madame Taylor, and the French Assistant, Bintou, for the French tradition of Mardi Gras which takes place on the Tuesday before the beginning of Lent – a time for people to consume their rich foods in preparation for fasting. The students indicated their topping preferences in French.

Red Zone planting – Sustainability Council

In early March, Secondary School students packed up their 2000 repotted seedlings to transfer to the central Eco-Action Project nursery. The Preparatory School also packed up their repotted seedlings. In mid-May the young trees and shrubs will be transported to the Red Zone for the first 2025 Community Planting. This flagship sustainable action project involves both the Sustainability Council and the Duke of Edinburgh programme.