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Whangaparaoa School is taking inspiration from Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup win, and has its own mini-Cup to prove it.
Last month, the school’s PFA president, Warren Frogley of Brandmad, successfully bid for an America’s Cup replica at the Sir Peter Blake Charity Regatta at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron. The replica is an exact, half size copy and is one of only two in the world.
In ‘bringing home the Cup’ and sharing it with the school, Mr Frogley cemented a process that he says began when principal Kevin Cronin was inspired by Team New Zealand’s success to dream big for the school.
Mr Frogley says that the America’s Cup has inspired the creation of a Cup Crew by the PFA – these are class representatives who will rally parent support and assist with main fundraising events such as next year’s gala, in March.
Whangaparaoa School has some big-ticket items that it needs to fund – in particular, the replacement of its adventure playground and upgrades to the school hall.
The students planned, surveyed, researched and presented a proposal for a new playground to the Board of Trustees. Their plan included equipment for all ages and came in at $115,000.
The school hall is also in need of refurbishment, not fully covered by the Ministry of Education.
“Work has begun, urgently repairing a leaking roof, however the list is long and with an estimated budget of $300,000, it will take some time and an approach like Team NZ to make it to the finish line,” Mr Frogley says. “But the success of other school initiatives, such as the bike and pump track which opened this year, proves we can win this race with the support and efforts of our wider community.”
