St Johns College Receives National Award

An unlikely partnership between students from St John’s College and youth prisoners at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison earned both organisations a string of accolades.

And last night was no different, as they received the Arts Access Corrections Whai Tikanga Award 2018 at Parliament – one of eight awards presented at Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards 2018.

It all started last year when students from the Hastings school, participating in the Young Enterprise Scheme programme, developed a concept for a project to be undertaken in collaboration with underprivileged youth. Their product – Just Boards – wooden platters produced under the name Bruthas Ltd.

Together they created recycled rimu platters which interlock to symbolise a waka – underpinning Māori culture, and packaged in recycled coffee sacks. Profits from the sale of the platter boards ($1755) were donated to a local charity for disadvantaged youth, Leg-Up Trust.

Photo: St John’s College principal, Paul Melloy, with year 12 students, Rhyva van Onselen (left) and Ben Gardiner. Photo/Paul Taylor. For morCapturee on this and other great Hawke’s Bay stories go to hawkesbaytoday.co.nz Posted: 8 August 2018