Winning Famine schools announced

Twenty one senior schools and twenty intermediate schools from throughout the country have been selected as top performers in this year's World Vision 40-Hour Famine, earning a Gold Award.

The senior schools are:

· Macleans College (Howick)

· Bethlehem College Senior

· Westlake Boys' High School

· Canterbury Christian College

· Waikato Diocesan School

· Freyberg High School (Palmerston North)

· Christian Renewal School (Whangarei)

· Epsom Girls' Grammar School

· Corran School (Remuera)

· Wellington College

· Hastings Girls' High School

· St Kentigern College (Pakuranga)

· Reikorangi Christian College (Waikanae)

· Wakatipu High School

· Chilton St James School (Lower Hutt)

· Burnside High School (Christchurch)

· Westlake Girls' High School

· Elim Christian College (Botany Downs)

· Samuel Marsden Collegiate School (Wellington)

· Auckland Grammar School.

· Wellington Girls' College

The intermediate schools are:

· Bucklands Beach

· Tawa

· Hutt

· Hibiscus Coast

· St George's Preparatory School (Wanganui)

· Southern Lakes Christian School (Queenstown)

· Hillview Christian School (Christchurch)

· Marsden Christian School (Ruakaka)

· Bethlehem College (Intermediate)

· Kaitao (Rotorua)

· Matamata

· Chisnallwood (Christchurch)

· St Kentigern School (Remuera)

· Nelson Christian Academy

· Farm Cove (Pakuranga)

· Blockhouse Bay

· Northcross (Browns Bay)

· Murray's Bay,

· St Kentigern College (Intermediate - Pakuranga)

· Wairau

In addition, Spreydon Baptist Youth Group has also been awarded a Scholarship in this category.

Several considerations contribute towards the selection of the schools, including the size of the school, its decile rating (socio-economic indicator), dollars raised per pupil, total dollars raised by the school, and a regional consideration.

Famine manager Geoff Sharp says ranking the schools is not an easy task:

"We know that over 135,000 young Kiwis put a huge effort into the Famine this year, and it's difficult to choose 41 schools out of all those who've done tremendous work throughout the country. We are absolutely delighted with the fund-raising results of the Famine this year, which looks as though it will be a record breaker. Last year, at this time, we had raised $2,165,000 and already this year we've raised $2,471,800. We're looking at breaking all the records with a total of $2.7 million, and we're nearly there!"

Mr Sharp says it's not just the amount of money that's thrilling, but the difference it will make to the lives of thousands of needy children in developing countries, many of whom are the same age as the New Zealand students who do the Famine.

"Money from this year's Famine will go to fund Street Children Rescue and Child Labour projects in Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Mali and Mongolia, a transitional programme in East Timor, and some has already funded a refugee kitchen on the Iraq border. Money is also going to help with food security in Tanzania, Mali, Niger, Zambia and Malawi ? countries severely affected by the current famine in Africa."

The successful senior schools will each nominate a top performing Famine student to be Sanitarium Scholars. They will spend an educational week in Wellington, sponsored by the Sanitarium Health Food Company. Three students will be chosen out of the 21 senior students to be Overseas Sanitarium Scholars. These students will travel to Asia to visit World Vision programmes which are funded by money raised in the 40-Hour Famine. Their trip is also sponsored by Sanitarium.

The intermediate schools will each select one student to spend a week in Auckland filled with cultural, educational and recreational activities.

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