Hadlow houses raise funds for Nepal

COLOUR CODED: Hadlow School House Activities Day on Friday centred on a range of disaster survival exercises and fundraising for earthquake victims in Nepal. Principal Michael Mercer dressed for the day in colours matched to each of the four school houses, despite his colour blindness. Amy Kuipers, 5, left, the newest pupil at the school, and Year 8 student leader for the day, Charlie Ward, 13, joined him in their house colours. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

Student-led exercises in teamwork and disaster survival raised funds for victims of the Nepal earthquakes while marking the inaugural House Activities Day at Hadlow School on Friday.

Principal Michael Mercer said the day recalled the traditional house system when there were day and boarding students.

The house system was streamlined when Hadlow shifted to future-focused learning environments. The colour-coded houses carry the names of Wairarapa town founders - Carter, Grey, Martin and Masters. On Friday, pupils wore mufti clothing in house colours, he said.

"They rotated through the eight activities, which were designed by Year 8s and are just ingenious. But at heart, it really is to get going that collegiality, that house spirit, and also to show what it would really be like in a disaster."

Mr Mercer, who is colour-blind, joined the fun, dressing "with a little help" in each of the four house colours.

House teachers had overseen pupil leaders in the designing of fundraiser activities for the day, including an inter-house coin trail contest, and eight disaster survival exercises, such as a stretcher relay race, making a waterproof shelter, a blind-folded search for hidden classmates, a Morse code activity and a bandaging challenge.

Mr Mercer said he had been stunned at the generosity of a part-time support staff member, who donated $100 to the fundraiser anonymously.

Pupils and staff were also treated to a Nepalese lunch featuring rice and exotic foods, courtesy of the Trinity Schools' kitchens.