Vaka Eiva 2011 - Adopt A School - An educational initiative

In previous years, many of you have been incredibly generous and have fundraised for our "Vaka Eiva Worthy Cause" and this year we have something a little different... same theme, but we will be focusing on our school children rather than a charity as such.

We have worked with the Ministry of Education for our "Adopt a School Programme" as we urge all those involved in Vaka Eiva to take part in the cultural aspects of Oe Vaka and the Cook Islands.

It is upon this premise that educational opportunities for all people in the Cook Islands are developed, highlighting Vaka Eiva 2011 as an excellent teaching and learning opportunity for our Cook Islands school children. 

Vaka Eiva 2011 will bring much excitement to the Cook Islands and this will be a wonderful opportunity for all our school students and school communities to meet the paddling athletes and teams from all over the world, and in turn, share with the athletes our unique culture of the Cook Islands through the Adopt a School initiative.

Adopt a School will provide an opportunity for you as paddling athletes and teams to forge links with a local school in the Cook Islands as a form of cultural exchange and to give, in kind, much needed educational resources to the school children  – by adopting a school. 

For our Cook Island schools the initiative will provide valuable educational opportunities to get behind and support the Vaka Eiva 2011 Festival through a number of learning experiences and cultural exchanges between schools and teams.  Furthermore, the Adopt a School initiative will give students a better understanding of the world around them in relation to their own position in the world.

Adopted Schools and students will show support for paddling athletes and teams by:

• Hosting paddling athletes and teams during a school visit
•  Learning more about their adopted paddling family through quality teaching and learning experiences i.e.  geographic studies of participating teams etc
•  Offering encouragement and support through a number of strategies and learning opportunities, i.e.  letters of support, placards, posters etc

Educational Resources in need:

When considering items and resources to donate to schools, teams and athletes could think about areas such as;

• Class sets of classroom supplies (General stationary equipment such as rulers, pens, pencils, colouring equipment, paints, crayons, markers etc)
• Class sets of dictionaries, atlas, maps
• Teaching resources such as whiteboard markers, coloured card etc

Although often anticipated by off shore groups, the donation of text and exercise books, otherwise identified in consultation with the school, do often not meet resource needs.

Once partnership with schools have been arranged, teams and athletes are encouraged to make contact with schools to identify any particular resource needs.

If you would like to be involved with our Adopt a School Initiative contact Danielle Cochrane  - one of our paddlers who happens to work at the Min of Education!

Danielle can partner you with a school unless you would like to "adopt" a specific school and if so, please mention this to her when you email her.

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Please find below a list of all schools within The Cook Islands: