25,000 School Children to help People with Disabilities

MEDIA RELEASE

25,000 School Children to help Young People with Disabilities

13 August 2014

This Friday, the 15th of August over 25,000 school children across New Zealand will Jump Jam for charity StarJam.

More than 100 Schools have signed up for the inaugural Jump Jam 4 StarJam. Each school will hold a Jump Jam session with all their students in support of StarJam; a charity that provides musical opportunities and workshops for young New Zealander’s with disabilities.

“Today’s students are more aware of disability than any other generation ever was, and we want to take that awareness a step further. We want to encourage students to support and include their peers with disabilities and to focus on what they can do, not what they can’t. By involving children around New Zealand in Jump Jam 4 StarJam we hope to raise awareness in schools around disability and highlight how all children can be given opportunities to shine,” says Mary Ansell, CEO - StarJam.

Students participating in Jump Jam 4 StarJam are encouraged to bring along a gold coin donation, and have the opportunity to win prizes for their school including: Portable UE Boom speakers, Logitech speakers, and a prize pack from Wheelers books. Prizes will be awarded based on prize categories such as best photo from the day, best drawing, best video, and best artwork.

Long time StarJam supporter, TV One News presenter Simon Dallow, is firmly behind the campaign. “Over the past 12 years I have had the pleasure and the privilege of watching StarJam turn shy and marginalised young people with disabilities into young people with the confidence and skills to achieve their true potential.”

StarJam has been working with young people with disabilities since 2002. It currently has over 300 young people with disabilities participating in musical workshops (singing, dancing, drumming and guitar) in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton each week.

Among the hundreds of New Zealander’s whose lives have been enriched by StarJam’s programmes, New Zealand’s Got Talent winner for 2013, Renee Maurice has emerged as a spokesperson for StarJam and its campaigns. Maurice participated in StarJam workshops for six years and was a singing tutor for two years before winning New Zealand’s Got Talent last year.

“StarJam provides a platform for young people to share their gifts and talents with people, and the chance to make lasting friendships. They inspire audiences and find confidence and happiness. If it weren’t for StarJam, I would not be where I am today, personally or professionally,” says Renee Maurice.

Funds raised from Jump Jam 4 StarJam will go towards giving more young people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in workshops.

“We currently have a waiting list and want to be able to expand the workshops to more young people with disabilities. Funds raised from Jump Jam 4 StarJam will go towards our aim of having a StarJam workshop within an hours’ drive of every young New Zealander with a disability by 2018.

“We have had great feedback from schools, they love the concept are excited to get involved. It’s great to have such positive support and we hope Jump Jam 4 StarJam becomes an annual event for every primary and intermediate school,” says Mary Ansell.

ENDS

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