Kiwi Can Setting Kids Up For Great Start

For immediate release 20 February 2008

Kiwi Can Setting Kids Up For Great Start To The School Year

Over 9,000 5-year-olds started school last week and took their first big step into education. Alarmingly, thousands of teenagers will also leave school this year with little or no formal qualifications.

So often the approach to school drop outs is a reactive one, trying to think of ways to make young adults to stay in school, often after their interest and motivation for school is depleted.

Kiwi Can, a life skills and values based programme for primary and intermediate school children adopts a different method; teaching kids through interactive and high energy lessons from day one, that learning is a fun experience.

Marie-Jo Wilson, Kiwi Can National Manager says; “it is so vital to engage children in the school environment from a young age and continue to keep them interested and motivated to come to school each day.”

Kiwi Can is a whole school programme, with all children attending a Kiwi Can lesson once a week, every week of the school year. Lessons are delivered by Kiwi Can Leaders and are based on themes decided by the school, such as relationships, integrity, resilience, respect and the community.

Part of Kiwi Can’s success Wilson explains, is also giving kids constant praise and encouragement.

“Without confidence, children often loose their drive to succeed and indivertibly get lost in the education system. In Kiwi Can we constantly encourage and remind kids that they have the ability to achieve great things.”

Many teachers and principals have noted a significant change in students’ attitudes and behaviour since Kiwi Can started in their schools.

Tony Howe, Principal, Opotiki Primary says “Our students are more willing to join in and fewer are opting out. For the first time ever, we have had over 70% of the school take part in kappa haka”.

Currently Kiwi Can is run in 60 schools across 12 regions with over 13,000 students participating each week.

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