15 Dec 2022A new mural celebrating the whanau and culture of Woodend School has been completed by two Year 8 students as part of this year’s Keep New Zealand Beautiful Resene Wall Worthy Competition. The primary school was one of ten winners in this year’s competition, which gives youth groups, schools and ECEs from across the country the opportunity to paint a mural with an environmental theme or message, to help beautify an area in their local community. Students Joslynne (Joss) Korkie and Hayley Robson designed the mural as part of a classroom project to create a poster that represented the school. The students said the design included reference to their Whare Manu houses, which are named after New Zealand native birds, an important part of the school’s culture. Each house and bird are represented in the mural – Tui (black), Weka (red), Kotare (blue), Kereru (White), Tauhou (green), and Korimako (yellow), as well as the school tree representing the intelligent behaviours and values the school strives for. The mural was painted over a period of four weeks where Joss and Hayley prepped the wall, selected their Resene paint colours and then with parent supervision they painted the mural onto the wall most mornings. “Our favourite part of the project was being able to do the painting and pull the piece together, the process was hard but definitely worth it. We are proud to leave a legacy at Woodend School for the future generations of students.” Woodend School Deputy Principal Brenda Fordyce says: “We are very proud of their work. This teaches them so much, not only design and art, but perseverance and to be a self manager”. The mural is titled ‘Woodend School Cultural Narrative’ and is located on a toilet block, owned by Waimakariri District Council, adjacent to one of the school entrances next to the Woodend Bowling Club. The mural was a joint venture with the support of the Woodend Community Association. As part of the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Resene Wall Worthy prize, the school received $750 in vouchers for Resene paints of their choosing, painting supplies and a $500 cash bonus for the school. About the Resene Wall Worthy Competition Our Resene Wall Worthy Competition, which is part of the Paint New Zealand Beautiful programme, gives early childhood centres, schools and youth groups the chance to tell their local history, celebrate a local hero or communicate a nature or conservation theme via a mural on a wall in their community. The competition helps teach children the importance of Keeping New Zealand Beautiful by getting them involved in creating the design and helping bring it to life. The ten winning schools and their regions are listed below, with their designs visible here. Ashgrove School, Rangiora with Tūrangawaewae Our Place to Stand Craighead Diocesan School, Timaru with Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua, ko au (I am the land and the land is me) Dot Kids, Greytown with Our tamariki, our turangawaewae Manchester Street School, Feilding with Be Kind to Papatuanuku Martinborough Playcentre, Martinborough with Te Whanau Tupu ngatahi Pakowhai School, Napier with We’re More Than Just Apples Rangiora Playcentre with Nature’s Playground Rototuna Senior High School, Hamilton with Kotahitanga Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls with Te Kura Pi’opatanga o W’akaa’urangi Woodend School, Waimakariri with Woodend School Cultural Narrative Share this page
