Tikipunga Primary School teacher Basil Hauraki had followed the Enchanter tragedy closely and felt how it rocked the Northland community.
He wanted to find a way to give back to the community, so he gave his students the task of writing a letter to whānau who lost loved ones.
"I'm into current affairs. I want my kids to be in touch with their surroundings, their environment, and what's happening in the community, and that requires a bit more work in terms of getting that across to them," Hauraki said.
"I thought I'll bring a [NZ] Herald to school and we did a brainstorm and I just tried to get the kids to learn some empathy.
"I said, what could you say that could make them feel better? You know, they've lost their loved one and they're feeling really down, what kind words could you say to make them feel encouraged?"
A line from one of the student's penned letters that stuck with the teacher is: "I love you even though I don't know who you are."
Letters to loved ones who lost family in the Enchanter fishing tragedy from 9-year-old Tikipunga Primary School students Sarah-Jane and Tony Bill. Photo / Supplied
Student Sarah-Jane, 9, said writing the letter "felt like when my great-grandfather died".
Another pupil, Tony-Bill, 9, said he felt "broken-hearted" when he heard about the boating accident. He wanted to write a letter "telling the person to say strong".
Nine-year-old Hinekohu "just wanted to let the family know that I gave them aroha".
"I thought about what I would write to my family member if someone in my family passed away," she said.
Classmate Tidus, 9, said he's "mostly into reading like [his] brother" and books had inspired him when writing the letter.
Hauraki said the approach and culture of thinking about others filtered down from the school's staff to their students.
"They were actually really responsible and mature to understand that it was about people that have passed away.
"I was just really moved by it all," he said.
Letters to loved ones who lost family in the Enchanter fishing tragedy from 9-year-old Tikipunga Primary School students Hinekohu and Tidus. Photo / Supplied
It isn't the first time Hauraki taught students to write letters. He said the key to getting children to express themselves was to connect them to something meaningful in their real life.
Hauraki said some children can find it difficult to use their voices. Teaching other ways of communicating and sharing can help them express themselves.
"Most kids are aware of these real deep subjects. We try to be tactful and not to go too deep... but just where they can express what they've learned and stuff that they've experienced in writing.
