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Horticultural education centre nears funding target
Katikati Innovative Horticulture Project donor 90-year-old Jopie Heuseveldt with college Principal Carolyn Pentecost (left) and Hilary Johnson, Innovative Horticulture Manager
Fundraising to build a dedicated horticultural education centre in Katikati is just $100,000 away from its target, and construction is planned to begin later this year.
By Elaine Fisher
The Katikati Innovative Horticulture Trust now has $400,000 of the $500,000 needed for the purpose-built facility on Katikati College grounds, thanks to donations from businesses, organisations and private individuals.
Hilary Johnson, Innovative Horticulture manager, Katikati College, says reaching the milestone is exciting and gratifying, especially given the fundraising began last year, just as New Zealand went into Covid-19 lockdown. “Despite the uncertain times, generous donations have continued to be received from businesses, individuals and organisations who recognise how important it is to have a dedicated horticultural education centre for college-aged students, young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and the local community. “The impacts of Covid-19 and the restrictions on overseas workers entering New Zealand has also highlighted the urgent need for skilled horticultural workers.” Even before work has begun on the new centre, the popularity of horticulture as a subject has soared among Katikati College students. The last three years have seen growth in enrolments, in student retention, in academic achievement and a closing of the disparity gap between Māori, Pasifika and other students.
The NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) results for Katikati College show that: • 92.6% of Level 1 Māori students gained Level 1 in 2020 versus 58.2% nationally. • At Level 2, 81% of Māori students passed, versus 70.5% nationally. • Across all ethnicities Level 1, 2 and 3 literacy achievement rates were 99.2, 99.1 and 98.8% respectively, and numeracy was also impressive at 96.8, 98.1 and 100% respectively. • 91.3% of all students gained
Level 1 versus 70.2% nationally, and 88.8% gained Level 2 versus 79.1 nationally.
“Our class numbers are bursting at the seams now, and we are truly ready for a new building so that community and NEETs classes can also begin,” says Hilary.
The project has received a further boost thanks to 90-year-old Jopie Heuseveldt who has committed to support the Katikati Innovative Horticulture Project through her Acorn Foundation fund.
Jopie and her late husband Kees immigrated to New Zealand from Holland and went on to buy a property in Omokoroa. Both worked at Katikati College, where Kees installed a new workshop and taught engineering and technical drawing, while Jopie taught English and history before retiring in the 1980s. Jopie moved to Katikati after Kees passed away. Jopie chose to support the Innovative Horticulture Centre due to Kees’ passion for growing trees of every type on their property in Omokoroa and her belief that supporting students into careers in horticulture would greatly benefit the area. “I am hugely grateful to Jopie for not just her generosity, but for her vision in seeing how her contribution can go towards affecting so many young lives in our community, which then of course translates into older lives contributing to our community and society in general,” says Hilary. “To receive support for our project from a private individual with no affiliations to the horticultural industry is truly humbling. She greatly recognises that learning must be relevant and real to the individual. This is something that underpins our personalised Innovative Horticulture programme and is one of the key factors making it successful.” Katikati College principal, Carolyn Pentecost, said, “Quite simply she reminded me why I love my job! Being a teacher is truly a calling for someone like Jopie, and even at 90 she still has a lesson or two to teach others. I imagine she was a game changer for the students lucky enough to have her as a teacher. Her humility and passion are the essence of a good teacher.” The Acorn Foundation has been working with generous donors like Jopie Heuseveldt to support local organisations working in areas of interest to them since 2003. For more information on how you might support the community you love, go to www.acornfoundation.org.nz.
For more information on the exciting work being done at the Katikati Innovative Horticultural Project, go to www.katikatiihp.com.
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