Albie Hopkinson and classmates. Photo / David Haxton
A book about bravery, created at Raumati South School, has been turned into a musical play too.
Each week school team leader Jane Harris runs an hour long writers' group session for pupils on a Thursday before class starts.
"It's about spreading the love of literacy and learning."
Last year they wrote a book of poems called Mahi Tahi about the local area.
This year they decided to create an adventure book about pupil Albie Hopkinson, 9, who has a heart condition.
"Albie came up with the idea.
"He's got some bravery beads from his operations."
The story, called Il Coraggioso The Brave One, is about Albie going on a journey to get his bravery beads back but he finds he doesn't need the beads to be brave, he has it inside him all along.
On his journey Albie and his friends go on an adventure to various parts of the world to find the magic amulet, the fern of friendship and the courage stone.
"It's a bit like a sophisticated picture book.
"It's pretty in-depth."
The next time Albie goes to Starship Hospital in Auckland he'll present a copy of the book to the hospital so other children undergoing treatment can read it.
The school children enjoyed creating the book so much that they produced it as a play too which saw many others get involved.
"So we're telling Albie's story through music, dance and the script.
"A lot of the songs focus on being brave."
Each school day, for half an hour, over six weeks, the 63-strong group practised their singing.
On Wednesday, at Mary Potter Hospice's Strawberry Festival at Midlands Park, Wellington, the group, called the Strawberry Angel Choir, gave their first live performance.
"They were brilliant.
"It was pouring with rain during the festival.
"But when we did our performance, the clouds opened up, the sun shone down on us, and we had 20 minutes of beautiful weather before it packed up again."
They also gave a copy of the book to the hospice as well as over $1000 which was fundraised from a baking and T-shirt sale.
Jane has a strong connection with the hospice as she battled cancer when she was aged about 20.
In early December the Strawberry Angel Choir will perform for parents in the school hall.
Jane was very proud of the pupils' wide-ranging efforts from creating a book, a musical play, lots of practice and fundraising.
"The essence of the whole experience has been about giving back to the community."
