Blenheim Pilot Graduation

What an amazing event hosted by Bohally Intermediate! On Wednesday 15 May we celebrated with families from 8 Blenheim school communities and squeezed about 200 parents, teens and children into the Bohally staffroom for supper after the award ceremony. The evening was opened by Bohally Principal Andrew Read welcoming everyone, and karakia from Pasifika Minister Menu Puni. National Coordinator Di Daniels then acknowledged all those involved in making the programme a success and congratulated the parents for their dedication to training and their families’ education. MP Colin King followed to talk about the value of lifelong learning, and tutor Cathy-Ann Scoon spoke of the personal journey for herself with the delightful group of parents she had taught, and awarded special prizes of webcams to her 2 most outstanding students. Each parent received a certificate of completion and each class contributed a speech and waiata. Pasifika Liaison Lapu Oliver made a special presentation to the Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell who is leaving Blenheim to serve in Bougainville. We were lucky to be joined by Ministry of Education Pasifika Manager Fuetanoa Kose Seinafo who had driven up for Christchurch after work to honour the families and the Polyfest performers who kept us entertained with music and dance. Our fabulous tech Carmen Wilson made appointments with families to get their internet connected at home, and we were all done! Check out our amazing photos of all this in our SmileBox.