Flaxmere College students take on longest day challenge

Flaxmere College students hauling an NZ Army Unimog truck as the final part of the 'The Longest Day Challenge.'

Once again, Flaxmere College students have smashed the final challenge in the Te Vaka Maia (formerly known as Cactus) 2024 programme.

For the past eight weeks, 26 students from the college, along with school staff and police, have been getting to school at 6.30 am three times a week to run, carry heavy loads, and take part in circuit training.

All the early mornings and physical training have been in the lead-up for the final challenge of the 2024 Te Vaka Maia programme known as The Longest Day.

Flaxmere students are taking on 'The Longest Day Challenge' as the final part of the Te Vaka Maia program.

Starting at 5.30am, Flaxmeres Longest Day included a 30km run, during which students had to take part in loads such as tyres, poles, and jerry cans.

The grand final of the challenge saw the group come together to pull one of the NZ Army’s Unimog trucks down Henderson Road and past the school.

One of the Flaxmere College students involved in this year’s Te Vaka Maia programme explained that being part of the programme has allowed them to become more confident and more able to voice their thoughts and opinions.

The student said, “I feel more confident knowing I completed the longest day and how utilising teamwork has positively affected my fitness, mentality, and mental well-being.”

Flaxmere College's Te Vaka Maia Longest Day Challenge.

After completing The Longest Day, one of the students said they used teamwork to the fullest extent and kept pushing.

“I learnt more about myself within the eight weeks and longest day and what my strengths and weaknesses are in terms of fitness.

“I felt a huge sense of achievement when we had finished the longest day and I miss the programme now it has finished.”

Completing The Longest Day involved a few tears, blisters, and sore muscles, but those who attended and took part said that there was a “massive” sense of achievement and pride.

A Flaxmere College student told Hastings Leader that they “feel more active and have a positive mindset about their goals and school. I’ve improved my mental health immensely”.

Maddisyn Jeffares became the editor of the Hawke’s Bay community papers Hastings Leader and Napier Courier in 2023 after writing at the Hastings Leader for almost a year. She has been a reporter with NZME for almost three years and has a strong focus on what’s going on in communities, good and bad, big and small. Email news tips to her at: maddisyn.jeffares@nzme.co.nz