Wednesday 29 September 2021

Enviroschools Day - Green Gold For WBS!

Aloha, (Hello) and welcome to my blog. My name is Kale'a and I have been writing about my school's recent day winning Green Gold as an Enviroschool. To win Green Gold, you must win the first two before you can go for Green Gold; silver and bronze. Once you have won both, you get to go for Green Gold, and Green Gold is basically the top one, so we were extra excited. I hope you enjoy reading about my experience with it.


First off, the bell rang for the beginning of school. I ran to tell my friends to go to the hall, and gave a big hug to my friend that I wouldn't see until the end of the day, Cornelia. "Now, come on! We're going to be late!" Ivy, Charlotte A, Te Atawhai, Klara, and I had to be on time for the Powhiri to welcome the 4 Enviroschools team associates by singing 3 songs in Te Reo (The Maori Language). We got into our lines, and my friend Te Atawhai began to welcome them into our school in Maori as well, then we began to sing. 


After the powhiri ended, since Charlotte A, Te Atawhai, Klara and I were part of the Enviro Group, we had to stay inside the hall and announce some presentations. First up was Klara and Izzy, and they were talking about our school's pepeha, which is explaining our Maori Family through NZ; I think they did an amazing job. 

Then were my other two friends, Te Atawhai and Charlotte A. They did theirs about our local penguins, the Korora (Little Blue Penguin). It was very interesting and they also did a great job. Some intermediate students also came to talk about their journey when they were at Wainui Beach School. 

I didn't get a chance to say mine about our school's wetland, Mangaone Wetland, but I enjoyed listening to my friends and that was very exciting, and that was enough for me for the day. 

Our small Brain Break filled my belly right before it was time to come back inside. We showed the four EnviroTeam around our school as they jotted down ideas silently. Their names were Charlotte, Rick, Kirsty, and Kauri. We first went to the Shade House where we grow our native saplings, then to the fruit orchard, with oranges, apples, plums, mandarins, persimmons, and feijoa. We also had lavender and bee hives where we could now use our just bought new kid bee suits. 

Then it was time for Morning Tea. Charlotte A, Te Atawhai, Klara and I raced each other to the playground as we played on the metal monkey bars, while Klara tried to tag us as she was 'it' for Monkey Bar Tag.

Morning Tea had ended fairly quickly, and we were back in the hall before anyone else. As soon as everyone was in the hall, Koka Jodie, the EnviroGroup teacher, told us to go to one of the A3 pieces of paper across the hall. I went to the one that Kirsty was at and Klara came too. 

We had to think of what we do to we keep track of data at our school, like how many plants we planted, how many trash bags we go through, etc. We got lots of Post - Its down and Kirsty said we did a great job. All of a sudden, it was lunch. Koka Jodie said that she, Charlotte, Kirsty, Rick, and Kauri were going down to Hamanatua Stream (where my class went hiking instead of staying at school) and if you wanted to come you were allowed to tag along. Everyone put their hand up. Koka Jodie saw one boy's hand up and she said, "Nate, I know you don't like walking..." Everyone burst into laughter. "But, are you sure you want to come?" He responded with, "Well, hmmmm, I'll think about it." Klara and I chuckled silently until Charlotte A noticed and, well, she barks instead of laughi..."HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Too late. Everyone was staring right at us, and Klara and I just stood up slowly, and then bolted through the open doorway. 


We were down at Hamanatua, chomping down our lunch as Koka Jodie pulls out of what I think is a meal for 20! There was quiche, bacon and egg pie, salad, pineapple, mandarin, and orange. We each got to choose between bacon and egg pie or quiche, and I chose the vegetarian quiche, but I think I regret the quiche. 

Koka Jodie and most of the group went for a walk around Hamanatua, and there was only Charlotte A, Izzy, Klara. Lochie, and I. Charlotte A and I were running up the really steep hill and at the top we surprisingly, spotted our class! "Hi, Cornelia!" I yelled to my friend; I guess I would be able to see her one more time. 

It was time to walk back to school. Klara, Te Atawhai, Charlotte A, and I played a game called 'Around The World', but the walking version. We would take turns calling out multiplication equations like 11 x 11, and the other three would have to say the answer. They would be the winner. I was also being a bit silly, and made up another game where I gave the four of us each boy names that started with the first letter of our last names, for example:
Klara - Peter
Te Atawhai - Paul
Charlotte - Albert
Me/Kale'a - Dave

Then, I would say one of the boy names and the other three would have to answer who the real girl was. I found that game very fun.


We were back at school as we entered the hall, where we now had to sit all together and discuss if we agreed with all the group's pieces of paper. If we agreed with all seven, we would be Green Gold! By telling if we all agreed, we would vote with thumbs up, or thumbs down . First sentence, thumbs up from all of us. Second sentence, thumbs up again. Third, cha - ching. Fourth. Fifth. Sixth, Good. "Now, what happens when we have all seven" Kauri asked. "We get GREEN GOLD!" Klara replied enthusiastically. And  then, seventh, ALL THUMBS! And by not even trying, we all shouted at the same time, "WE GOT GREEN GOLD!"

Just in time, the bell had rung for 3:00, school's over. We ran back to class after having a couple of high - fives from each adult. e Atawhai asked if we were allowed to run around each classroom announcing the news. "We got Green Gold!" Again. "We got Green Gold!" And again. "We got Green Gold!" Until all classrooms heard the news. We also delivered a gift to Koka Jodie saying thanks from our principal, Koka Nolian, and vice principal, Koka Sue. Back at class, Koka Ngaire, our teacher, was announcing which two people would be going to the Principal's Tea Party to join the other one person from the classrooms around Wainui Beach School (there would be two from our class since we are a Learning Hub made from two classes). And to make the day even better, Klara AND Charlotte's names got called!

I was so happy for my two friends. It was an extra jam - packed day, filled with fun adventures and tasty food.
I'm glad for my opportunities at school.

Thank you for reading my very long blog. 

-Kale'a 🐈‍⬛

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