Students on track for big adventure

A group of determined Kuranui College students have brewed up a refreshing way to help put wind in the sails of their upcoming Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award voyage.

Year 13 students Ale Giogioni, Renske Van Steensel, Kate White, Sian Dunlop, Laura Finlayson, Dan Carlisle and former student Emily Jamieson have been planning a 10-day sailing trip around the Auckland area for the adventure component of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The group also have been over the past few months studying the art of the barista and decided to put their newfound skills to use in fundraising for their trip, group member Renske Van Steensel said.

The group have already made and sold coffee at Party Marty, the Wairarapa A&P; Show and the Martinborough Fair, and the Kuranui Koffee Kart and also will be offering coffee for sale at the Castlepoint Lighthouse Centennial this weekend.

It will cost around $800 for each member to board the boat, which they plan to do in the winter holidays.

She said the group had already raised around $1000.

Ms Van Steensel said the award was vital to each member of the group to help "us as individuals (to) discover and build on our strengths, our interests and our personality and gives us the ability to deal with everything life can throw at us".

She said the first five days of the voyage would be training to sail the boat before the 10 students sail the vessel themselves for the remaining part of the voyage.

"They say the award won't make you taller, but will help you hold your head up higher. It won't make you better looking, but it will make you more attractive to employers. It won't get your washing done, but you'll have the motivation to do it yourself.

And this is definitely what we hope to gain from our experiences from doing the award, Ms Van Steensel said.