Kai festival gets some star assistance

Blueberry icecreams, hangi boil-up and Sonny Bill Williams were among the drawcards at Hamilton’ Rhode Street School Kai Festival yesterday.

By 6pm more than 2500 people had passed through the doors for the school’s fifth annual festival.

Each classroom had a food stall, selling mainly fruit and vegetables harvested from the school gardens.

There was a lot of anticipation among the children leading up to Sonny Bill Williams’ arrival at the festival. He and other members of the Chiefs stepped in to help serve the food, immediately doubling the number of people waiting in the queue.

School principal Shane Ngatai said the special thing about the festival was that the kids were involved in every step of its planning. They plant and harvest crops of their choice in the school gardens, plan recipes, help to cook and sell the food. Adult involvement is as limited as possible.

“The kids direct us and we help them…they don’t pay us though,” Mr Ngatai laughed.

Former Rhode Street School teacher Diane Te Waaka said the festival had taught the children about healthy eating.  She also knew of children who had started their own

vegetable gardens at home since being involved.

“You don’t see so many pies around at lunchtime,” she said.

The festival is incorporated into the children’s lessons for the year. For example, in maths they decide on the price they will sell their food for.

“They (the students) are really entrepreneurial now,” Mr Ngatai said. “They have really good business skills, great communication skills, they’re very good marketers. Overall their self esteem has gone through the roof.”