30 September 2024
Celebrating in the mighty Waikato - 15 Years of KickStart Breakfast
Over 150 excited tamariki arrived early at Te Aroha Primary School to join the KickStart Breakfast 15 year celebration complete with gumboot tossing, creative art and a Smoothie bike to whip up some delicious smoothies!
The usual spread of Sanitarium Weet-Bix and Anchor milk was served, along with yogurt, fruit, and tasty toppings for a nutritious breakfast to fuel a fun day of learning. Local Fonterra staff from the Waitoa site joined the celebration, including a local driver who brought their tanker into the playground for some impressive manoeuvres and a demonstration of the ‘big horn,’ much to the delight of the tamariki.
Fonterra tanker delighted students as leaving Te Aroha Primary after joining in the 15 year celebrations!
Another very special guest at the celebration was Diane Hazelton, a dedicated teacher aide at Te Aroha Primary School for over 30 years. Diane shared her experience:
"Starting the breakfast club at Te Aroha Primary School in 2009 was a deeply rewarding experience. It not only improved students' attention spans in the classroom but also fostered a sense of community and belonging."
Diane initially worked with a roster of parents and later with student leaders to run the breakfast club. Over the years, she saw firsthand the positive impact the breakfast club had, noting how it made a noticeable difference in student attention spans in class.
Diane's dedication ensured the club's continuation by passing the reins to Daniela, leaving a lasting legacy for the local community.
Te Aroha Primary now has anywhere from 15-30 tamariki attending their breakfast club each morning. This valued routine helps foster friendships, conversation, and a range of life skills. Sustainability is a key priority, with every crumb of Weet-Bix saved for recipes and each milk carton carefully opened, rinsed, and dried for recycling.
Daniela and student leaders are also collecting bottle caps to create an interactive resource for their on-site sensory veggie garden. Their KickStart Breakfast club is not just a place to fuel up for the school day, but also a place to connect, learn and share ideas.
Senior lead teacher, Kirsty Young, shares KickStart Breakfast is more than just a meal to the wider school whānau.
"...as we celebrate 15 years of this programme, we are privileged to be a part of it. It’s about giving our tamariki the best start to their day, both in the classroom and beyond. It fosters a strong sense of community and belonging, ensuring every child is nourished and ready to learn. At Te Aroha Primary, this programme supports the wellbeing of our students, empowering them to aspire to bright futures with confidence and care. Bring on the next 15 years!”
The 15-year celebration of the breakfast club at Te Aroha Primary School was a real testament to the programme's enduring success and its special role in nurturing this wonderful school community.