Oturu School Comes Second At Problem Solving Champs

Oturu School Comes Second At Problem Solving Champs

Auckland, 23 June, 2011 - Four Year 8 students from Oturu School in Kaitaia, representing New Zealand and travelling on a plane overseas for the first time, have come second at the World Junior Community Problem Solving conference in the United States.

The four young students Ayvran Mackie, Anna-Leah Cassidy-Taylor, Manaaki Jakobs and Teina Snowden have been researching the threats facing their local honey bee population, which won them top prize at New Zealand's 2010 Future Problem Solving competition.

With the support of Cookie Time Charitable Trust and Air New Zealand the girls were competing against 15 teams from throughout Asia Pacific including Australia as well as Great Britain and the United States.

Heather Greaves, Deputy Principal of Oturu School said: "This has been an experience of a lifetime for the girls that would not have been possible without the support of so many people and organisations, we are very grateful.

"They have taken a story about the impact of a declining bee population on our local community and told it to the world, representing the Far North community and New Zealand with distinction."

Oturu School is one of a growing number of schools enjoying success by adopting innovative and creative based teaching models to engage and meet the learning needs of their students.

As part of the school's innovative learning philosophy it has beehives, chickens, vegetables, flower gardens and more than 200 fruit and nut trees. Oturu School students are able to produce their own olive oil, honey, kawakawa balm and the school is developing a registered kitchen and shop to sell products at the Kaitaia weekend markets.

Cookie Time Charitable Trust, which part funded the girl's trip was set up to create and support opportunities for young people throughout New Zealand to help realise their potential.

Guy Pope-Mayell, Chairman of the Cookie Time Charitable Trust said: "Oturu School is a great example of how schools can establish innovative learning environments that stimulate students to become more creative and independent. This has been a fantastic project to have supported, and I'm very proud of what the girls and the school has achieved," he said.

The girl's project has involved extensive research of the local honey bee population, with the aim to encourage people in the community to recognise the importance of honey bees. To showcase their findings they have produced information packages and delivered lots of presentations as well as given out seeds to plant trees that attract honey bees.

For more information about the Cookie Time Charitable trust, please visit: www.ctct.org.nz

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