Pansy Speak
A bright future
It’s always wonderful to celebrate the success of our children. Last week I was lucky enough to present a $2,500 grant
to Baverstock Oaks School to help them fund a worm farm.
The school won this grant from the Environmental Glass Fund set up by the OI Corporation, which is the world’s largest
glass producer. The school’s worm farm proposal beat 14 other proposals. Baverstock Oaks is truly an aspirational green
school. Under the leadership of Principal Mary Wilson it employs a full-time environment educator Shane Ross. He
inspires students to analyse the contents of their rubbish bins to find ways to minimise waste.
I was delighted to be asked to hand over the grant. This took place at their weekly assembly and happened to be run by
the six-year-old students from Room 3.
These young bright sparks told us about their no-waste lunch movement that day, where every lunch wrapper had to be
recyclable. They then led 800 other students in a range of activities, including songs like Yellow Submarine, and
managed to get all the parents, the OI representative, and myself clapping and singing along. It gave me a moment to
lament about my time at primary school, where our assemblies were lectures delivered by teachers and principals. I was
blown away by the confident youngsters who filled me with optimism.
Two weeks ago I was invited to speak to 1,000 students in years 10, 11 and 12 at Botany Downs Secondary School about
daring to be different. It’s hard not to feel like a rock star when standing in front of such a large crowd. Their
engaging and attentive faces were a credit to the school and their parents – after all, a speech by a politician can’t
be an attractive prospect to teenagers!
I happened to meet some of the students by chance a few days later and asked them if their attentive faces were them
just being polite or if they had fallen asleep. They told me it was OK. I guess that’s a thumbs-up!
This wasn’t the first time I had worked with students from Botany Downs Secondary School. Earlier this year I was a
judge for their Young Enterprise Scheme, which involved small groups of students coming up with a product and marketing
it. Their intelligence, enthusiasm, and creativity filled me with optimism. New Zealand has nothing to worry about when
it comes to our future entrepreneurs and our future in research and development!
Their enthusiasm needs to be encouraged so they can realise their potential. As adults, we should be role models for
them, striving for achievement and not for mediocre expectations.
Low expectations have no place in National’s ambition for New Zealand. Given the poor example the Hon. Winston Peters
and the Rt. Hon Helen Clark have set in recent days it’s important our youngsters can see that some politicians stand up
for what’s right.
National is committed to leading by example and providing New Zealand with the government it deserves.
Pansy Wong
www.pansywong.co.nz
www.national.org.nz
Join the conversation www.johnkey.co.nz
ENDS