19 September 2024

Spotlighting Superstar Sharan!

South Island KickStart Breakfast Relationship Manager, Ross Hamilton, recalls a recent visit to Silverstream School in Mosgiel with he was fortunate to meet with teaching assistant and KickStart Breakfast coordinator superstar, Sharan.

Sharan has nurtured and grown the idea of starting the day with good food on board with the school joining KickStart Breakfast back in July 2018. For the first few years, KickStart Breakfast didn't have a permanent space to call home. That’s changed now, and it feels good!

Joining Sharan in the hall area, the school have recently created a dedicated space to run their KickStart Breakfast programme. The space opens off the main auditorium and is easily accessible from the front school gates. Whilst breakfast generally starts at 8:30am, Sharan is always on deck earlier and has the room set up ahead of time.

This means the tablecloths are on the tables (there’s more than one set for variety), Weet-Bix and spreads are set up, the milk is warmed and ready for serving, and toast is available for tamariki who are keen to dine and dash. Sharan usually expects about 20 students to attend but today may be different because of some off-site activities.

Everyone is welcome at breakfast club and each smiling face receive a warm welcome on arrival. Sharan prides herself in knowing everyone in the school, and their story, so there is easy conversations and that spreads quickly around the room. There is a high level of respect shown by the tamariki of Silverstream School with each child warmly greeting Sharan and eager to join her for some kai.

Everything on offer is popular today – milk and Weet-Bix, toast, and Weet-Bix sandwiches. Sharan embraces our programme core values of creating an inviting and welcoming space for all to join. Fueling up with good kai to kickstart a day of learning. Sharan uses breakfast as an opportunity to share the importance of breakfast and shares with students on a friendly level:

"You can't pig out on toast! if you are still hungry then you need Weet-Bix on board too"!

The school has been very supportive of the KickStart Breakfast programme and value the impact it has on tamariki being ready for learning. The recent installation of a dishwasher in an adjoining space makes the final clean up a lot easier.

Sharan doesn't miss a beat and in a very well oiled fashion, the space is cleared and ready for opening the next morning. The wider staff and school whānau are invested in ensuring the programme is always able to run, even if Sharan can't be there. Staff are more than happy to jump in to support and during Ross' visit, a colleague pops over to check any last minute details for breakfast club service the next morning - this all shows how valued KickStart Breakfast is.

Whatever the offering, it is those with a heart like Sharan’s that make KickStart Breakfast work around this country, giving our tamariki and rangatahi a better chance to start their school day well.