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12 Queen Margaret Calling :: ISSUE 62 :: October 2018 STUDENTS HELP COMMUNITY THROUGH SCHOOL FAIR LEARNING MIDDLE SCHOOL Middle School students brought their community service fund raising to life at the annual Community Fair in August. Year 7 raised money for the SPCA, Year 8 for Wellington City Mission, Year 9 for Refugee Family Reunification Trust and Year 10 for Cystic Fibrosis New Zealand. Community service is an important part of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme as all students are taught to complete service-based action. This eventually leads to the completion of the Community Project in Year 10. As part of the fair students created and sold edible treats from cupcakes to chicken nuggets. Year 8 Dean Natasha Selkirk says the Community Fair is just one way that the year group contributes to the Wellington City Mission annually. “They also use the money raised through the fair to purchase additional gifts to donate. The money allows us to purchase specific items that theWellington City Mission needs,” Natasha says. The fair also allows students to collaborate with each other and come “Each year, Year 8 students raise awareness for this cause within our school community and encourage other students to bring in gifts for Wellington City Mission’s Pack The Bus,” Natasha says. up with new and inventive things to sell to raise money. Year 9 Dean MaryWood says the students decided the best way to raise money for the refugee community. “The Student Class Leaders came together to develop a steering committee in order to discuss and plan student-initiated activities,” she says. “The process of fundraising for the local refugee community enables students to develop skills in budgeting and marketing.” “They also research the needs of the incoming refugees to learn intercultural understanding. This could be the different climatic conditions refugees come from or their varying dietary and cultural needs.”