Oceans of excitement and learning

Safety at sea is being promoted amongst the songs and dances at Polyfest in Manukau this week.
Coastguard Northern Region is teaming up with the Auckland secondary schools Maori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival this week to help promote water safety.
Held from March 16-19 at the Manukau Sports Bowl, Polyfest uses song, dance, speech and art to celebrate Maori and Pacific Island communities and this is the second year in a row that Coastguard Northern Region has been involved.
As a community partner of ASB, Coastguard will be actively involved throughout the festival including Schools Day on March 17, where the team will deliver safe boating messages to students, focusing on lifejacket use and safety equipment.
"With Pacific Islanders contributing to our drowning statistics, Polyfest presents a good opportunity for Coastguard to get water safety and safe boating messages out to families," says Coastguard Northern Region chief executive Dean Lawrence.
Coastguard is currently working with Maritime NZ, ACC and Watersafety Auckland to spread these messages within the Pacific Island community.
Located in the ASB village, the Coastguard stand will be running a number of fun competitions where lots of prizes are up for grabs including a fishing rod, lifejackets, balloons and activity sheets.
Magical diversity

This is the 36th year for ASB Polyfest.
From humble beginnings in 1976 when four schools competed at the inaugural festival, the ASB Polyfest has grown into the largest Maori & Pacific Island festival in the world, with 63 schools and over 9000 students competing.
The 2011 ASB Polyfest is on March 16-19 at the Manukau Sports Bowl, Manukau City.
Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate will continue to host in 2011. The theme for the ASB Polyfest 2011 is: "Ko te kanorau te matua atua, ko te kotahitanga te koa - Diversity is the magic, Unity is the joy."
More info about Polyfest, see: www.asbpolyfest.co.nz