As teachers, we have the unique opportunity to weave the curriculum into student-led initiatives, supporting them as they explore and expand their creativity. Encouraging students to take their ideas and transform them into lifelong learning experiences is one of the most powerful ways to inspire growth and independence.
Over my 20 years of teaching, I have seen this firsthand through countless projects sparked by students’ curiosity – from co-writing articles for education magazines, to collaborative classroom book publishing, and numerous environmental projects that enriched our school. Each initiative began with a student’s question, discussion, or idea – proving that when we nurture their visions, we empower them to make meaningful impacts that can last a lifetime.
“My message to other student leaders is this: don’t be afraid to take a leap and speak up about what you believe in. Change is possible if you’re willing to put in the effort and stay committed to your goals.”
Recently I have been part of two projects initiated by my students, that highlight how a simple question can lead to huge social change. You can read the full project reports, written by students Maia Groucott and Karli Steenberg, at the bottom of the page.
The first, which we called Operation Tohutō, focused on the correct use of te reo Māori in our place names, specifically adding a macron (tohutō) to the name ‘Ōmokoroa’. It involved liaising with local Māori educators, presenting to our district council, updating our school sign and helping our wider community to use tohotū on their signage.
The second, Operation Pedestrian Crossing, was initiated to address the issue of road safety around our school and community. The students compiled traffic data, advocated for a pedestrian crossing and worked with road safety and project engineers to find a suitable solution.
Both projects required us to work directly with our council, presenting our case for the changes and following through until our vision became a reality.
“Embrace the mistakes and setbacks along the way; they’re an essential part of the journey. Together, you’ll build resilience and grow as problem-solvers, creating a lasting impact for everyone involved.”
The challenge for me as their teacher was to know how to facilitate the process rather than lead it. I held some workshops as we went through the process, including formal letter writing, script writing for presentations to the council, etiquette when interviewing someone on Zoom, how to conduct yourself when in a very formal event such as a council meeting, survey creating for the school and community and how to gather and then present the data collected.
I hope our projects inspire other young people across Aotearoa to take on initiatives within their own communities. We’ve proven that with hard work, collaboration and resilience, students can bring about real change. My message to other student leaders is this: don’t be afraid to take a leap and speak up about what you believe in. Change is possible if you’re willing to put in the effort and stay committed to your goals.
To all our kaiako, I encourage you to be bold! Step back and let your students take risks, guiding them as they navigate new challenges. Stand beside them, showing them how to contribute to meaningful change – something they’ll carry forward as a proud legacy to share in the years ahead. Embrace the mistakes and setbacks along the way; they’re an essential part of the journey. Together, you’ll build resilience and grow as problem-solvers, creating a lasting impact for everyone involved.
Moving forward, I’m excited about what’s next for our kura and our community. These experiences have shown me the potential we have as guides of young leaders to encourage them to leave lasting legacies that others can benefit from. Taking action and making a difference is an empowering experience, and I am grateful to have been part of two projects that will leave a legacy in Ōmokoroa for years to come.
Deirdre Duggan has been a dedicated teacher for nearly 20 years, working in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty. A passionate gardener, Deirdre loves tending her garden and orchard, experimenting with growing plants from seeds and cuttings. She has a particular interest in cultivating traditional Māori plants and trees to create Rongoā balms and teas.
Deirdre has three adult children and a grandson, with whom she spends as much time as possible. Looking to the future, she dreams of travelling around New Zealand and the world with her husband during retirement, exploring new landscapes and cultures.
Operation Tohutō (2022): Restoring the tohutō (macron) and honouring cultural heritage by Maia Groucott
What sparked Operation Tohutō was something quite simple – we were writing thank-you letters to our bike safety instructors. As we wrote ‘Ōmokoroa’, we realised that we weren’t entirely sure how to spell it correctly, especially when it came to using the macron over the ‘O’. When someone in the class mentioned the word ‘macron’, we all became curious. Why was it there? Did it matter if we left it out? And what would it mean to our community if we restored it?
With these questions in mind, we decided to dive deeper and learn as much as we could. Guided by our teachers, we reached out to local Māori educators, who explained that in te reo Māori, a macron is called a tohutō. A tohutō is more than a mark over a letter; it changes the sound, meaning, and sometimes the history of a word. For Ōmokoroa the tohutō indicates that the name refers to something important – either a historical person who lived in the area or an event that took place there, possibly a battle or a death. This mark was more than just correct spelling; it was about honouring the story and significance of our town.
As our research deepened, we learned that place names without tohutō could end up with altered meanings that might even be disrespectful. We felt it was our duty to ensure that the spelling of Ōmokoroa reflected its true cultural meaning. Motivated by what we had learned, we put together a presentation and took our findings to the council. In our presentation, we highlighted the cultural significance of the tohutō, the importance of correctly pronouncing Māori place names, and why having a sign that spelled Ōmokoroa correctly, mattered.
Our project received positive feedback, and shortly after, the outgoing Mayor, Mr Garry Webber, visited our school. During a school assembly, he presented us with a certificate for Outstanding Community Initiative, which felt amazing. We had convinced the council to create a new entrance sign for Ōmokoroa, and they even let us participate in a workshop to help design it. We brainstormed ideas for what might be included in the sign to make it uniquely reflect our community. Soon after, the sign was completed, and we had a launch event where we took photos with the new mayor, Mr James Denyer. Seeing our hard work celebrated by the whole community made us feel proud of what we’d accomplished.
But our work didn’t stop with the sign. After our project was underway, our teacher, Mrs Duggan, worked with our principal, Ms Sandra Portegys, to change the school signage to include a tohutō as well. We also created instructional videos on how to add macrons on various devices, which we shared with local businesses and the community. Since then, we’ve seen an increasing number of local businesses update their signage to include the tohutō in Ōmokoroa. Now, every time I see the macron on signs around town, I feel a sense of pride that we were part of something that respects and honours our community’s heritage.
Operation Pedestrian Crossing (2024): Advocating for road safety by Karli Steenberg
Following the success of Operation Tohutō, my friend Anna and I noticed another issue in our community: a lack of safe crossings on busy roads, especially on Hamurana Road, where students and families cross near a busy roundabout. We had seen classmates speed down the hill on their bikes without looking and cross the road dangerously close to cars. Without a crossing, we worried that one day a serious accident might happen, so we decided to take action and start a project we called Operation Pedestrian Crossing.
We started by writing a letter to our principal, asking if we could gather data and present a case to the council. With Ms Portegys’ permission, we set out early in the morning and after school to observe the traffic on Hamurana Road. We counted how many cars passed by and noted how many pedestrians used the road. After compiling this data, we created graphs to show how high the traffic volume was at these times. With the help of our teacher, Mrs Duggan, we put together a presentation showing the dangers of the area and explaining why a pedestrian crossing was necessary for the safety of the community.
When we presented our findings to the council, they appreciated our thorough work. However, we were told that putting a traditional pedestrian crossing on Tralee Street would be challenging because of the intersection’s existing layout. But Road Safety Engineer, Ashley Hall and Project Engineer, Sam Prendergast proposed an alternative: a raised table and a central refuge to help improve safety. Although it wasn’t exactly what we had hoped for, we were happy to know that a safer solution was being planned.
Our story was picked up by the local media, including the Bay of Plenty Times, the New Zealand Herald, and even our council’s website. We were proud to see our hard work being acknowledged across the region. It wasn’t long before the council began planning the installation, and we can’t wait for the raised crossing to be completed soon.
Our kura has shown that no matter how young you are or how small your school may be, you have the power to make a difference. Through the journeys of Operation Tohutō and Operation Pedestrian Crossing, I have learned that true leadership is about standing up for what’s right and leaving a place better than you found it. As I look to the future, I feel ready to tackle new challenges and inspire others to do the same.
All images supplied.
