Students from Hawea Flat School took part in an Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) excursion this week which included community service and some good old-fashioned fun.

The philosophy of EOTC, Hawea Flat School principal Tania Pringle said, is that not all learning takes place within the four walls of a classroom.

“Some children shine when it comes to reading, some shine when it comes to problem solving a practical task,” she said.

Tania said EOTC tasks are often about being “contributing citizens”. They use real life situations to build the key competencies of character, citizenship, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, and creativity.

On Thursday (March 19) the 78 Year 5 and 6 students cycled from the school to Lake Hawea, where they cleared the piles of driftwood which had been impeding access to the water at Scotts Beach.

The students tidying driftwood from the beach.

The driftwood is now in piles and people are welcome to help themselves to it for firewood.

The students then biked to the irrigation channel, went tubing and “had some fun”, before biking back to school, Tania said.

“The smiles said it all, they just absolutely loved it,” she said.

On Friday the group moved to Wanaka, where they skated at the skate park, went kayaking, and played frisbee golf.

Tania said one of the parents told her they didn’t want these types of activities cancelled, “in light of everything else that’s going on”.

“Being outside the students are more spread out than they would be at school, and we are following good hygiene practices,” she said. 

The EOTC excursions were organised by the Year 5 teachers, and aided by a large group of parents. Next week the group plans to take on the challenge of climbing Grandview.